RESEARCHERS are calling for the price of soft drinks and sweets to be doubled - to help prevent tooth decay.
They say a 100 per cent sugar tax on the products could help to reduce sugar intakes in adults and children in a study published in the BMC Public Health journal.
And dentists from the area have welcomed the findings and claim they often see the results of sugar-high diets.
The report was written by researchers from University College London and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Lead researcher Professor Philip James said: 'A sugars tax should be developed to increase the cost of sugar-rich food and drinks.
'The retail price of sugary drinks and sugar rich foods needs to increase by at least 20 per cent to have a reasonable effect on consumer demand so this means a major tax on sugars as a commodity.'
'The level will depend on expert analyses but my guess is that a 100 per cent tax might be required.'
It comes after Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, said earlier this year, that sugar tax may have to be introduced to help tackle obesity rates.
Now dental experts are backing the idea of introducing a sugar tax to soft drinks and confectionery items.
Deanna Dowley, the practice manager of Grosvenor Dental Practice in Oakhill, said around 80 per cent of their 1,500 patients aged under 18, showed signs of tooth decay before the age of 10.
She said: 'In North Staffordshire, our water supplies do not have fluoride, so it does mean families living here are more susceptible to tooth decay.
'Another problem is that things like eating lots of sweets or sipping soft drinks throughout the day can also damage the enamel.
'Having a sugar tax can only help with the problem of tooth decay because it will make people think twice about buying certain products.' if they are more expensive.'
Jo Light, a dental nurse and oral health educator at the surgery, said she advises patients not to have more than four intakes of sugar a day.
She said: 'It is more about the frequency in which you consume sugar rather than the quantity when it comes to tooth decay.
'In some respects it is better to drink a bottle of soft drink in one go rather than sipping it throughout the day.
'Some parents think that drinks like orange and apple juice are healthier for children than fizzy drinks and in some respects they are but the sugars in the juice can do the same damage to your teeth as something like coke.
'It's a good idea to put the prices of soft drinks and confectionery up to help with the problem of tooth decay.'
Dentist Zoe Wray said a major cause of tooth decay is soft drinks.
The 41-year-old, who is the practice owner of Diana Dental in Birches Head, said: 'It might encourage people to make healthier choices if the price of water was to go down and the price of soft drinks were to go up.'
But newsagents have criticised the idea of putting a 100 sugar tax on soft drinks and confectionery.
George Khan, who runs Werrington News in Johnstone Avenue, said: 'It's better to educate people on which food and drinks are healthier for them rather than putting the prices of certain products up.
'The Government just seem to want to put the taxes up on everything.'
Mohammed Arif, manager of High Street News in Tunstall, said: 'I don't think it's a good idea to put the taxes up on soft drinks and sweets because it's just going to put everyone out of pocket. It will have a damaging effect on newsagents and small businesses.'
