Feature: Update on Sour Acid Candy Erika Feltham, RDH



by Erika Feltham, RDH

In Jan/Feb 2008, Hygienetown Magazine printed an exclusive article titled "Acid Blast In A Sugar Bath." Much has happened since then. Some news is good and then there is some disappointing news on this front as well.

The Hygienetown article, along with several other articles which describe the dental dangers of sour acid candy, has opened the eyes and ears of many dental professionals on this subject. Dedicated dental hygienists and dentists are striving to create greater public awareness within their practices and communities. Patients are now being warned about the dental dangers from consuming sour acid candies and from holding these candies in the mouth for prolonged periods of time. Some packages of sour candy actually suggest the candy should be held in the mouth for several minutes, to prove tenacity and compete with friends for the longest time. This might provide fun competition for children, but lowering the pH of the mouth for several minutes begins the demineralization process on enamel.

Other exciting news to report is that in 2009 the California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA) took formal action to establish its position on the subject of sour acid candy. CDHA was the first state dental hygiene association to unanimously adopt the following resolution:

CDHA advocates for FDA regulations on labeling of packages of candies with pH levels of less then 5.5 as having adverse effects on hard tooth structures. Justification: CDHA recognizes the need to combat the new generation of highly acidic sour candies that combine the sweet (sugar or sugar substitutes) and sour (acid) ingredients that are destructive, causing dental demineralization which leads to erosion on hard tooth structure.

Passage of this resolution by the CDHA was a step in the right direction. However, the California resolution is just the first of many resolutions needed to actually move the FDA to action. Approaching the FDA with a request for package label warnings on sour candy having a pH of 5.5 and below will need the support of many states and eventually our national associations, both dental and dental hygiene. The seriousness of the acid demineralization of tooth enamel from sour acid candy is very real and affecting children of all ages.

My challenge to you is to bring this topic up for discussion at your next dental or dental hygiene meeting. With enough support, you, too, can submit a sour acid candy resolution to your next House of Delegates meeting. Industry, government and consumer press take resolutions passed by our professional organizations seriously. They look to these resolutions to determine what we are willing to take a stand on and therefore what actions they should take to follow our lead. We can each bring this subject to the attention of our individual patients, but it is only through working together that we will be able to influence the labeling on sour acid candy packages. Until then, consumers will think it's just candy, no worse than any other sweet treat. To their surprise, these candies with pH levels below 5.5 have the potential to cause serious dental damage.

To present a sour acid candy resolution at your next House of Delegates meeting, contact Erika Feltham, RDH, at erikafeltham@mac.com for all the paperwork. It's ready to go!

Author’s Bio
Erika B. Feltham, RDH, graduated in 1982 from Pasadena College. Happily married and the mother of three boys, Erika currently works for Dr. Edwin Stewart in Fallbrook, CA. She is a 2008 Johnson & Johnson ADHA Hygiene Hero Honoree and has written several articles, including the Jan/Feb 2008 Hygienetown Short Commentary "Acid Blast in A Sugar Bath."
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