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Overview
Eating patterns and food choices play an important role in preventing (or promoting) tooth decay. Unrestricted, at-will sugar consumption has long been known to promote tooth decay: the single most common chronic childhood disease—five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. A lack of certain nutrients can also make it more difficult for tissues in the mouth to resist infection.
The ADA is supportive of federal nutrition programs whose goal is to improve the dietary habits of America's youth. Federal school food programs have effectively kept sugar-filled beverages (namely "soft drinks" | PDF file/61k  ) out of school cafeteria lines and can easily be leveraged to curb the widespread marketing of these products on school campuses. Maternal nutrition education programs can also be leveraged to help prevent baby bottle tooth decay, one of the more severe manifestations of early childhood caries.
- The ADA encourages dentists to maintain current knowledge of nutrition recommendations such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans—published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—as they relate to general and oral health and disease.
- The Association encourages continued support for federal nutrition and food assistance programs that provide nutrition services and education for infants, children, pregnant and parenting women, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups.
- The ADA believes government agencies should restrict access to non-nutritious foodstuffs that contribute to the advancement of tooth decay under federal nutrition and food assistance programs.
- The ADA opposes targeting children in the promotion and advertisement of non-nutritious foods that promote tooth decay, particularly on school grounds.
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Legislation
Food Marketing in Schools Assessment Act
Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act
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Letters and Testimony
- September 23, 2009—Coalition letter urging members of the House to support
H.R. 3625 , the Food Marketing in Schools Assessment Act. | PDF file/14k
- September 23, 2009—Letter commending Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y. 4th) for introducing H.R. 3625 , the Food Marketing in Schools Assessment
Act. | PDF file/41k
- June 11, 2009—Letter commending Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) for including a provision in S. 1099 , the Patients' Choice Act, that would prohibit junk food from being eligible for purchase under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) | PDF file/42k
- June 11, 2009—Letter commending Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc. 1st) for including a provision in H.R. 2520 , the Patients' Choice Act, that would prohibit junk food from being eligible for purchase under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | PDF file/40k
- May 27, 2009—Letter commending Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) for introducing S. 934 , the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act | PDF file/38k
- February 26, 2009—Letter commending Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif. 6th) for introducing H.R. 1324 , the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act | PDF file/42k
- August 16, 2006—News Release advising parents to discourage their children from consuming too many soft drinks
- August 12, 2005—Letter urging the Federal Trade Commission to include the targeted marketing of soft drinks to children in its initiative to promote more health conscious marketing practices within the food and beverage industry | PDF file/69k
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ADA Resources
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Additional Resources
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Contact Us
For additional information, please contact:
Federal Affairs
1111 14th Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
202.898.2400
Fax: 202.898.2437
E-mail: govtpol@ada.org
State Government Affairs
ADA Chicago Headquarters
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312.440.2525
Fax: 312.440.3539
E-mail: govtpol@ada.org
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