Glasgow - Fizzy drinks might be to blame for the world's worst epidemic of oral Crohn's Disease, which has struck in the west of Scotland, researchers claim. Dental experts believe an allergic reaction to carbonated drinks could be the cause.
Crohn's Disease normally attacks the bowel but 500 Scots, most of them children, have developed an oral form of the disease - 88 per cent of them in the west coast of Scotland. This compares with just 40 cases of oral Crohn's Disease in the whole of the US. Prof David Wray of Glasgow Dental Hospital said the disfiguring condition results in grotesquely swollen lips. Scientists say it might be caused by an allergic reaction to preservatives found in fizzy drinks as well as bacteria found in milk.