Tooth Decay Is In The Air! Easy Dental Calls Out Air New Zealand’s Sweet Landing Tradition

While Air New Zealand is soaring high with its sweet marketing campaign, a Dunedin-based startup is raising concerns about the hidden cost to New Zealanders’ oral health. Easy Dental, a company committed to improving oral health through educational awareness, is questioning whether a government-majority owned airline should be promoting sugar-laden lollies in the skies.

What if that sweet in-flight treat is secretly sabotaging your smile? For many travellers, Air New Zealand’s iconic in-flight lolly has become a nostalgic part of the flying experience. But behind the charm of this beloved tradition lies a potential threat. "That lolly might help ease the discomfort of landing, but it’s also a one-way ticket to tooth decay,” warns Maykon Dias, founder of Easy Dental. “With 275,000 Kiwis already losing one or more teeth to dental conditions last year, this isn’t something we can afford to ignore.”1

Sounds extreme? Maybe, but there’s no denying that sweet landing tradition could be contributing to New Zealand’s worsening oral health crisis.

Here’s where the issue takes off: airplane cabins are notoriously dry, with humidity levels sometimes dipping as low as 5%—well below the comfort threshold of 40-70%.2 This isn’t just about dry skin or chapped lips; it impacts your mouth too.

Dry air suppresses saliva production, which is crucial for protecting teeth. Saliva is your mouth’s natural defence against tooth decay, helping to wash away bacteria, food particles, and neutralising acids that attack tooth enamel.So, when it’s in short supply, your teeth are left vulnerable.3

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Now, it’s time for those in-flight lollies. As these sugary delights dissolve in your mouth, they feed the billions of bacteria that thrive on sugar, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an “acidic bomb” targeting your teeth’s enamel.4 “It’s like launching an all-out acid assault on your teeth while your body’s defences are still in airplane mode,” Dias explains.

It doesn’t end there. Stress can also reduce saliva production, and let’s face it—flying may have you on edge.5 From take-off nerves to delays, that little lolly might be the cherry on top for a dental disaster in the making. Combine that with a busy schedule, with many travellers unable to brush their teeth immediately after landing, the damage may already be underway before they can act.

Easy Dental is urging Air New Zealand to rethink its distribution of these lollies, especially in light of its recent "Sweetstakes" promotion, which glorifies the very product that plays a role in New Zealand’s oral health crisis. “As a company that’s 51% owned by the New Zealand government, Air New Zealand has a responsibility to promote healthier choices,” says Dias. “Instead of glorifying sugar, the airline could seize the opportunity to educate passengers and offer healthier alternatives.”

But Easy Dental isn’t calling for the complete disappearance of the iconic lolly. Their message is simple: balance is key. “We’re not trying to spoil the fun of flying,” says Dias. “We’re just asking for smarter options. Why not promote sugar-free gum, which stimulates saliva production and helps clear away harmful acids?”

Water is another simple, yet effective solution. It not only combats dehydration but also helps wash away sugar and keeps saliva flowing. Next time you’re offered that treat on a flight, why not ask for a glass of water to go with it?

Easy Dental has invested heavily in raising awareness about oral health, filling the gaps where government efforts have fallen short. “We’ve poured resources into educating the public about how to protect their teeth. But when you have a government-majority-owned airline actively handing out sugar in the skies, it feels like we’re taking two steps back,” says Dias.

In a country where tooth decay is a growing problem, Easy Dental believes that both government and industry must take greater responsibility for promoting healthier choices. “Oral health is a public issue, and we all have a part to play—Air New Zealand included,” Dias adds.

In the meantime, if brushing isn’t an option for you after landing, chewing sugar-free gum can get the saliva flowing again and offer your teeth some much-needed relief. 3

Air New Zealand reports dishing out over 19 million lollies each year, and while you can still enjoy these sweet treats—consider pairing it with some water. After all, no one wants an acid bomb attacking their teeth at cruising altitude. “Maybe we’ll even start seeing more passengers requesting water during flights across New Zealand,” Dias concludes with a hopeful smile.

1 New Zealand Ministry of Health – Health Survey 2022/23.

2 Morse RP. The effect of flying and low humidity on the admittance of the tympanic membrane and middle ear system. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2013;14(5):623-633. doi:10.1007/s10162-013-0408-x. Accessible here.

3 Humphrey S P, Williamson R T. A Review of Saliva: Normal Composition, flow, and Function. J Prosthet Dent. 2001;85:162-169. doi:10.1067/mpr.2001.113778. Accessible here. 4 Olsen, I. New principles in ecological regulation – features from the oral cavity. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease. 2006;18(1):26–31. doi:10.1080/08910600600761273. Accessible here.

5 Gholami N, Hosseini Sabzvari B, Razzaghi A, Salah S. Effect of stress, anxiety and depression on unstimulated salivary flow rate and xerostomia. J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects. 2017;11(4):247-252. doi:10.15171/joddd.2017.043. Accessible here.

© Scoop Media