NEW YORK: U.S.: Although many dentists and health professionals would agree that reducing refined sugars is a positive step toward improving oral and overall health, there are some who do not subscribe entirly to that idea. Recently, experts have put forward arguments both for and against sugar in a debate that stemmed from a paper looking at diet centrism.
The article, titled “In defense of sugar: A critique of diet-centrism,” was published in the May/June issue of Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases and written by Dr. Edward Archer, Chief Science Officer at EvolvingFX. Speaking with Dental Tribune International, Archer explained the premise of the paper in more detail: “ ‘Health’ is a property of an individual and not an inherent property of foods or beverages. Therefore, the dichotomy of ‘healthy’ versus ‘unhealthy’ when referring to foods and beverages that are safe to consume (i.e., relatively pathogen-free) is not valid, scientific, or logical. In other words, there are no ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ foods.”
Archer also said that sugar polymers have played critical roles in both human evolution and dietary history and were the significant sources of nutrient energy for most of the global population throughout human history. He noted further that obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus are not diet-related diseases, but are metabolic conditions caused by a positive energy balance (i.e., overnutrition) driven by physical inactivity in past and current generations.
In a letter to the editor, cardiovascular research scientist Dr. James J. DiNicolantonio and cardiologist Dr. James H. O’Keefe, Medical Director of the Charles and Barbara Duboc Cardio Wellness Center, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri, provided strong criticisms to Archer’s contention. They argued that dietary sugar (glucose, sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup) is not necessary for life and that humans did not consume refined sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup throughout most of their evolution.
“The truth is you really can’t outrun a bad diet, especially when it comes to overconsuming refined sugar. While it’s true that exercise may reduce the risk of obesity from overconsuming refined sugar, it doesn’t prevent dental cavities, inflammation of the gums, or inflammation that occurs in the intestine, liver, and kidneys when the body processes large amounts of sugar,” they explained in the letter.
In a conversation with Dental Tribune International, DiNicolantonio said that he felt there were some nuances and misconceptions in Archer’s article that he wanted to clear up. In this regard, DiNicolantonio highlighted the misconception “that a calorie from sugar is just a calorie and no more harmful than say a calorie from broccoli. If you overconsume sugar, it can damage the body. You can’t just run off the sugar calories and leave no harm behind.”
In his rebuttal to DiNicolantonio and O’Keefe’s comments, Archer stated that obesity and metabolic diseases are caused by the confluence of physical inactivity and nongenetic evolutionary processes over many generations. He pointed out that, by the late 1940s, both life and health spans in the U.S. had increased dramatically despite half of all infants being reared on infant formula, a completely artificial product containing around 40 percent of calories from added sugars.
“The public is confused about what to eat because over the past 50 years, ‘diet-centric’ researchers produced a great deal of illiterate nonsense. Thus, one of the greatest problems in nutrition is a lack of basic scientific competence,” Archer told Dental Tribune International.
Tags:
SYDNEY, Australia: Researchers from the University of Sydney have revealed that one in seven adolescents are drinking more than two cups of sugar-sweetened ...
SÃO PAULO, Brazil: Sugar substitutes have been promoted as a healthier alternative because of their low cariogenic potential and role in reducing caries ...
LONDON, UK: It is well established that dental caries is common in children. Now, new data from the UK on hospital tooth extractions among 0–19-year-olds ...
Marion Baumgartner, Product Manager of Technician Solution at VITA Zahnfabrik, discusses VITA YZ SOLUTIONS.
KRIENS, Switzerland: Dental practitioners are one of the most at-risk groups during viral pandemics or flu seasons. Luckily, regularly using the Perio plus+...
LUCERNE, Switzerland: Earlier this year, 43 leading experts from three organisations participated in a unique consensus meeting. The aim of the meeting was ...
MILAN, Italy: The annual European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) congress, starting today in Milan, is a premier platform for dental professionals ...
COLOGNE, Germany: At the 2025 International Dental Show (IDS), the massive exhibition presented the full spectrum of dental innovation from international ...
The ongoing pandemic has had a great impact on many fields in dentistry, including routine procedures and the way in which dental education is delivered. In...
LONDON, England: The commercial baby food industry powerfully shapes early childhood nutrition in the UK and globally. Despite its trusted image, its ...
Brazil / Brasil
Canada / Canada
Latin America / Latinoamérica
USA / USA
Austria / Österreich
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Босна и Херцеговина
Bulgaria / България
Croatia / Hrvatska
Czech Republic & Slovakia / Česká republika & Slovensko
France / France
Germany / Deutschland
Greece / ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Hungary / Hungary
Italy / Italia
Netherlands / Nederland
Nordic / Nordic
Poland / Polska
Portugal / Portugal
Romania & Moldova / România & Moldova
Slovenia / Slovenija
Serbia & Montenegro / Србија и Црна Гора
Spain / España
Switzerland / Schweiz
Turkey / Türkiye
UK & Ireland / UK & Ireland
China / 中国
India / भारत गणराज्य
Pakistan / Pākistān
Vietnam / Việt Nam
ASEAN / ASEAN
Israel / מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל
Algeria, Morocco & Tunisia / الجزائر والمغرب وتونس
Middle East / Middle East
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/2025-10-09_Aldo-Denti-joins-Dentsply-Sirona-as-chief-commercial-officer.jpg "Aldo Denti joins Dentsply Sirona as chief commercial officer")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/2025-10-09_-Study-suggests-dental-biofilm-may-have-a-direct-link-to-heart-attack-.jpg "Study suggests dental biofilm may have a direct link to heart attack")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/09/Resonance-Frequency-Analysis_Fig-1.jpg "Resonance frequency analysis—the only longitudinal metric for implant stability")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/09/DSO-perspectives_Part-2_AdobeStock_668852518.jpg "DSO perspectives: Part 2—from darkrooms to digital mastery")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/Mediterranean-diet-could-reduce-periodontal-disease.jpg "Plant-rich Mediterranean diet associated with reduced risk of periodontal disease")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/07/3dprinting.jpg "3D printing")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/07/aligners.jpg "aligners")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/01/Ivoclar_Logo_19-01-2022.png "Ivoclar"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2011/07/fdi.png "FDI World Dental Federation")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/08/Neoss_Logo_new.png "Neoss"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2014/02/Planmeca.png "Planmeca")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2011/11/ITI-LOGO.png "ITI International Team for Implantology"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/01/DMP-Logo-2025.png "DMP DENTAL INDUSTRY"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2018/09/sugar-war-1.jpg "“The sugar wars: Rhetoric or reason?”—Experts debate the issue")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/2025-10-09_Aldo-Denti-joins-Dentsply-Sirona-as-chief-commercial-officer.jpg "Aldo Denti joins Dentsply Sirona as chief commercial officer")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2017/06/Dental-Tribune-Icon.jpg "Dental Tribune International"){kind=icon}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2017/12/sugar-new-website_.jpg "New research on sugar-laden drinks could influence sugar tax debate")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/Study-links-sugar-substitutes-to-accelerated-cognitive-decline.jpg "The dual impact of sugar substitutes: Improved oral health, impaired cognition")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/03/Dental-caries-responsible-for-majority-of-hospital-admissions-in-the-UK.jpg "Dental caries is primary reason for hospital admissions in the UK")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2019/03/Marion-Baumgartner_1188-x-688.jpg "VITA is the colour expert")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/02/Keeping-dental-staff-healthy-during-the-flu-season.jpg "Keeping dental staff healthy during the flu season")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/11/Experts-agree-on-standards-for-clinical-treatment-of-peri-implant-soft-tissue.jpg "Experts agree on standards for clinical treatment of peri-implant soft tissue")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/10/Details-make-perfection-Global-experts-push-the-boundaries-of-osseointegration-at-EAO-2024.jpg "Details make perfection: Global experts push the boundaries of osseointegration at EAO 2024")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/04/The-Media-Lounge-was-the-place-to-be-at-IDS-2025.jpg "The Media Lounge was the place to be at IDS 2025")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2021/02/Interview-on-the-impact-of-SARS-CoV-2-on-dental-implantology.jpg "Interview on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on dental implantology")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/06/Baby_pouches.jpg "Sugary baby pouches under increasing critical scrutiny in the UK")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/2025-10-09_Aldo-Denti-joins-Dentsply-Sirona-as-chief-commercial-officer.jpg "Aldo Denti joins Dentsply Sirona as chief commercial officer")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/10/2025-10-09_-Study-suggests-dental-biofilm-may-have-a-direct-link-to-heart-attack-.jpg "Study suggests dental biofilm may have a direct link to heart attack")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2025/09/Resonance-Frequency-Analysis_Fig-1.jpg "Resonance frequency analysis—the only longitudinal metric for implant stability")
To post a reply please login or register