Fewer children in England having teeth out since sugar tax began, study finds

The trend means an estimated 5,638 fewer children are having teeth extracted under general anaesthetic every year. Photograph: Radius Images/Alamy

Fewer children in England have been having rotten teeth pulled out since the sugar tax on soft drinks began, prompting calls for the levy to be extended to sweets, biscuits and cereals.

The number of children aged 18 and under going into hospital to have teeth extracted has fallen by 12% since the sugar tax came into force in April 2018.