Sir, it is welcome news that the prime minister is taking the issue of obesity seriously. Conservative Dentists believe now is the time to bring dentists in from the cold, to join forces with our medical colleagues and battle obesity.

Obesity was a problem before the pandemic but we know now that COVID-19 hits obese people disproportionately hard and that countries with high obesity rates from Western Europe to the US have struggled to keep people alive in intensive care units. One in four people in the UK who have died from the virus also had diabetes, and according to the latest NHS figures obesity is understood to account for 80-85% of the risk of develo** the condition's type 2 incarnation.

Almost 30% of adults in the UK are classed as obese, which puts increased metabolic demand on one's body; more energy and oxygen are required. When a person suffers with severe obesity, their immune system works overtime and this alongside the exaggerated inflammatory response that commences 7-10 days after COVID-19 symptoms first appear, is what has killed a lot of patients.

Obesity is a complex health issue resulting from a combination of contributing factors but numerous studies indicate an association between oral health and a variety of general health conditions including obesity and diabetes. Oral health has been isolated from traditional healthcare and policy discussion, despite it being the third most expensive health condition behind diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

For a lot of patients, their dentist will be the most regularly visited healthcare clinician. With their medical background, dentists, hygienists, therapists and their dental teams, who have fought a long battle against sugar, are well placed to deliver overall health messages and so reinforce the relationship between diet, excess sugar and overall health.

The healthcare advice that leads to a healthy oral cavity leads to better overall health and a reduction in sugar intake underpins a stronger immune system. Early interventions using a more coordinated approach between healthcare teams to tackle these related conditions would lead to more efficient resource allocation and be more effective in achieving positive health outcomes.