Tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admissions, with sugar attributed as the leading cause in the majority of cases, according to Public Health England.
New figures have revealed 141 children have a tooth removed each day, with more than 50,000 operations every year.
Health experts hope the sugar tax, which comes into force today, will help tackle the crisis.
Public Health England has also called on parents to swap sugary food and drink for healthier options.
Dr Sandra White, Dental Lead for Public Health England, said: “It’s upsetting to see so many children admitted to hospital with tooth decay, but swapping out sugary drinks could be an easy win for busy families.
“Parents can also help prevent decay by making sure their children’s teeth are brushed twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and reducing how much sugar they’re eating and drinking.”
Research compiled by Public Health England revealed a can of energy drink contains an average 13 cubes of sugar.
An average 330ml can of cola can contain around 9 cubes of sugar.
Soft drinks are one of the central causes of high sugar among children, with them accounting for over a fifth of sugar intake.
A levy on any soft drink with more than 5 grams of sugar per 100ml will come into force today and the Government hopes it will raise £240million for sports in primary schools.
Energy drinks including Red Bull, Monster and Relentless will all increase in price, as will Coca-Cola.
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “Obesity can have a devastating impact on our patients’ long-term health and wellbeing, but we are particularly concerned about the increasing rates of obesity in children and young people.
“This is simply setting them up for a life plagued with serious health conditions, including increased risks of a range of cancers as well as diabetes and heart disease.”
“A tax on sugary drinks is a positive move forward in tackling this obesity epidemic – but also reversing the shocking increasing levels of tooth decay in younger people- and we also warmly welcome commitments by supermarkets to reduce sugar consumption in their own label soft drinks.
“We hope these measures will go some way in encouraging people to cut down on the amount of sugar they are consuming, but a levy on its own will not solve the obesity crisis – it must be part of a broader strategy which targets patients’ overall lifestyle changes including diet and exercise.”
