We joined forces with Sugar Smart UK and the team at Cornwall Council Public Health to help promote Fizz Free February to help make it a national initiative.
Fizzy drinks are the largest single source of sugar for children aged 11-18, and they provide an average of 29% of daily sugar intake. This has significant implications for the nation’s oral health and therefore the campaign messages to ditch the fizz and drink more water resonated strongly with Smile Together colleagues across West Country Dental Care, Brighter Dental and Brighter Smiles, Cornwall’s oral health campaign.
In Cornwall we see around 20 children aged 5-9 admitted to hospital each week to have their teeth removed under general anaesthetic – the number one reason for hospital admissions amongst the age group but 100% avoidable according to fellow campaigners across the UK.
Back in November, at our Smile (Get) Together we gave all team members a reusable water bottle and at the beginning of February launched our own Health and Wellbeing initiative, driven by our Staff Council who play such a proactive role in our business as an employee-owned social enterprise. Our Brighter Smiles team had fun reinforcing the fizz-free messaging and importance of keeping hydrated by drinking more water during all their visits to schools and children’s centres, helping to further raise awareness of Fizz Free February.
