Oral healthcare professionals' role in reducing young people's sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: a qualitative study

Aims: This qualitative study aimed to seek views from children and young people (CYP), caregivers, and Oral Health Professionals (OHPs) on the role of OHPs in reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption. Methods: Thirty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with CYP aged 11 to 16 years (n = 18), caregivers (n = 9) and OHPs working in general dental practices, paediatric and orthodontic services (n = 11). Topic guides, informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework, structured the interviews. Interviews were analysed using framework analysis with concurrent data collection. Results: Qualitative interviews with CYP, caregivers, and OHPs found unanimous agreement that OHPs have a key role in SSB reduction in CYP and identified four key themes: 1) OHPs' knowledge of SSBs, 2) consumption of SSBs and consequences, 3) the role of OHPs, and 4) changing behaviour. Key influences on SSB consumption for CYP included taste, peers, and social media. OHPs reported challenges in supporting behaviour change, citing peer pressure, autonomy, and time constraints. Conclusion: Given the established relationship between SSB consumption and poor oral health and inequalities, OHPs are well-placed to support its reduction in CYP. There is a need for co-designed, evidence-based behaviour change interventions tailored to dental settings to support SSB reduction in CYP.