House Bill 360 Proponent Testimony — Shannon Sweeney, RDH (January 22, 2020)

Summary

Proponent testimony on House Bill 360 to the House Commerce and Labor Committee, dated January 22, 2020, from Shannon Sweeney, President of the Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association (ODHA). She writes on behalf of ODHA members in support of the bill, which she describes as requiring water bottle filling stations and drinking fountains in certain public school buildings. The testimony says dental hygienists see patients with significant decay and points to non-water drinks, stating that a bottle of sports drink has 32 grams of sugar, equivalent to 8 teaspoons. It adds that ODHA is not advocating eliminating soft drinks and sports drinks, supports Representatives Crawley and Hillyer, and urges the committee and the House to pass the bill.

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Full text

                          Shannon Sweeney, RDH
                    House Bill 360 Proponent Testimony
                   House Commerce and Labor Committee
                              January 22, 2020

Chair Manning, Vice Chair Dean, Ranking Member Lepore-Hagan and members of
the committee, my name is Shannon Sweeney and I am President of the Ohio Dental
Hygienists’ Association (ODHA) and on behalf of the members of ODHA I am
writing to express our support for House Bill 360, which would require water bottle
filling stations and drinking fountains in certain public school buildings.

As dental hygienists we see a variety of scenarios when pediatric and adolescent
patients present in the dental office. Many times, it is the basic needs of children
who need to do a better job of brushing their teeth or attempt to create a flossing
routine. However, there are patients that we treat that have significant decay. There
are many reasons that can attribute to these situations. One of the more prevalent
reasons that is emerging is the consumption of non-water liquids. As children are
encouraged to become more active there is also a corresponding desire to ensure that
they are properly hydrated. However, it is possible that the increased use of these
hydration-related products that could be contributing to increased dental issues.

As practitioners we need to educate our patient’s parents. There are so many
parents who do not understand the effects of sugar on our teeth. I do not argue that
the drink companies have a product to sell. However, with children participating
in year-round sports activities the use of energy-electrolyte drinks is more
prevalent. Many parents believe that they are providing a benefit to their children
by providing these types of drinks. Children acquire a taste for the product and
believe that they need the drink as a replacement for any physical activity or even
just casual consumption. However, consider that each 16.9 oz. bottle has 32 grams
of sugar. That is equivalent to 8 teaspoons of sugar. At this level, in elementary
school especially, the kids need only water for their replacement. We do need
nutrient and fluid replacement, but not with something that has 8 teaspoons of
sugar. Especially to kids who only weigh 40-60 pounds.
After prolonged use, the sad part of all of this is explaining to moms that their child
has dental decay. The looks on their face shows total devastation. They are at a
loss for words. Their eyes swell up with tears as they try to hold them back, but
then the tears begin to flow, and they begin to apologize to us. They feel horrible,
they blame themselves and they say they didn’t know. We reassure them that the
children are receiving treatment and we will take care of the areas of concern.

Hygienists educate parents that decay does not have to happen to their child. We
educate parents to have their kids drink water between meals, brush twice daily,
floss daily, use a fluoride toothpaste, have a specific snack time and no grazing on
food all day. We assure the parents that there are times when kid’s requests for
certain beverages should be denied. The kids need guidance because they do not
know what the consequences will be. However, let me be clear that we are not
advocating to eliminate the availability of soft drinks and sports drinks to children.
We believe that they should be accessed in moderation and with appropriate
parental education and supervision.
This is why House Bill 360 is so important. If school age children are provided the
opportunity to have access to bottle stations, mainly, at their school buildings they
will be more likely to drink water as the main source of hydration throughout the
day. As more children are utilizing fitness trackers and cell phones, they are more
proactively taking control of their health and their bodies. They are challenging
each other, their parents and even their teachers on activity they are getting,
including how much water they are drinking each day.
Anecdotally, many schools are permitting its students to bring and refill water
bottles each day. They are incorporating lessons on ecology and waste
management through the counters on the bottle filling stations that show the
number of plastic bottles that are diverted from being used by refilling a reusable
water container. Additionally, many schools or their parent organizations are
issuing students water bottles at the beginning of the school year to encourage
water consumption. As school buildings are continuing to go through the process
of upgrading, remodeling, or constructing new buildings to address the needs of
the school or the district, we agree with the premise of the bill to require school
designs to incorporate bottle filling stations in the plans.
The physical and environmental benefits of the installation of these bottle filling
stations are demonstrable. As practitioners who deal in the health side of this
equation, we encourage the consumption of water a much as possible. Therefore,
we are happy to support Representatives Crawley and Hillyer and House Bill 360.
We urge the committee and the House to pass House Bill 360. Please feel free to
contact me if you have any questions.


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