30 Jan Is your sweet tooth impacting your oral health?
According to Dental Health UK, almost a third of adults face oral health issues such as tooth decay, which is often caused having too much sugary food and drink. Yet for many, sugar consumption is inescapable as it can be found in many foods and drinks, and is hidden far more than ever before. Even household staples such as ketchup, white bread, yoghurts and fruit juices often harbour high levels of unexpected sugar. As such, it may come as no surprise that in a brand new study commissioned by hydration experts, air up, 27% of Brits say their addiction to sugary drinks has had detrimental impact on their health, causing tooth decay, weight gain or even dehydration.
Many Brits maintain their smile through purchasing products that are advertised to ward off decay and plaque, with The Oral Health Foundation revealing that Brits spend an average of £200 per year on oral hygiene products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. Often, these are labelled with minerals promoting optimal oral health. A common mineral found in these products is fluoride which can prevent tooth decay. Yet, this mineral can be found in tap water which contains enough milligrams of fluoride to prevent tooth decay without the need of splashing the cash on additional hygiene products. Drinking fluoridated water alongside, brushing your teeth daily and cutting down on sugar is enough to maintain your smile, yet data by air up now unveils that 22% of Brits say sugar is their biggest vice in life.
Key stats:
73% (31,002,000) wrongly believe that the sugar ingested by drinks is not as bad as the sugar you eat
22% (9,894,000) say sugar is their biggest vice in life
23% (7,562,000) of Brits believe that sugary food has a higher concentration of sugar than drinks
27% (9,907,000) of Brits say their addiction to sugary drinks has had a detrimental impact on their health (i.e. teeth decay/ weight gain/ dehydration)
12% (3,886,000) say that their sugar addiction stems from sugary drinks
14% (4,519,000) of Brits started drinking diet soft drinks to lead a healthier lifestyle but found that it has caused more problems than it solved
Sugar Economy
air up has not only taken a look at the cost sugar has on our health, but also to our bank accounts. The research has found that a quarter of the nation spend up to £25 on sugary drinks a month, 12% spend up to £50, 7% spend up to £75 and a shocking 4% spend up to £100 – which translates to over 1.5 million Brits! This equates to a staggering £643 million spent on soft drinks every month, fuelling an unhealthy addiction.
Key stats:
25% (10,373,000) of Brits spend up to £25 on soft/ sugary drinks every month
12% (4,957,000) of Brits spend between £25 and £50 on soft/sugary drinks every month
7% (2,760,000) of Brits spend between £50 and £75 on soft/sugary drinks every month
4% (1,772,000) of Brits spend between £75 and £100 on soft/sugary drinks every month
The world first in drinks technology is here to educate the masses, quench our thirst, and cut out these chemical nasties without sacrificing the flavours we crave, providing a healthy, cheaper alternative for the 37% of Brits struggling to find just that. The unique design and innovation utilises retronasal smell to provide a better, more interesting way to get our favourite flavours while drinking 100% pure water and educating Brits on the copious amounts of sugar they consume in their current favourite soft drinks.
What is retronasal smell?
Studies have shown that up to 80% of the flavour we perceive comes from smell, not taste, which is why the smell of food is so linked to appetite and why people hold their nose when they eat or drink something unpleasant. When we eat or drink, flavour-filled air rises up to our nose and takes our senses beyond the five basic tastes of sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami.
So how does air up work?
air up harnesses this clever bit of science by infusing flavoured air into every sip of water from the bottle. One of 27 different flavours will be added in bubbles every time you drink and it is this that will give your 100% pure water its flavour. Each pod contains natural flavourings and scents that infuse with ambient air to be added to the pure water, these flavours range from Lime and Orange-Passionfruit to Cola and Iced Coffee with ten others in between.
Who came up with this amazing idea?
The first prototype for air up was developed by Lena Jüngst and Tim Jäger in 2016 and spent three years in development, including a Master’s thesis on aromas, to combine innovative design and the neuroscience behind the idea and turn it into a real product. Since then, air up has successfully launched in Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands, with more than one million customers already. Now Lena and the team are bringing this innovative way to drink water to the UK.
Where can I buy one?
air up’s reusable water bottles are available from their website. The Starter Set, including one bottle and two scent pods, is priced at £29.95 to £34.95 depending on the colour of the bottle. Each additional pack of three pods (flavouring a minimum of 15 litres of water) then costs between £5.95 to £8.95, depending on the flavour.
