For TV channels, the 9pm watershed is designed to help parents protect their children from harmful material. 74% of adults think 9pm is the right time; with children hopefully in bed and away from the screen.[i] Along with things like bad language, the watershed will have a new category added to it from October 2025: junk food adverts.
The long-gestating ban on junk food adverts, originally set for January 2023, is an attempt to curb the country’s obesity problem: more than one in five children are overweight or living with obesity when they start primary school; this rises to one in three by the time they leave.[ii] As advertising influences eating preferences, the daytime removal of these from both TV and online platforms hopes to reduce the daily presence of unhealthy foods for children.[iii] This is also a victory for dentistry as obesity and oral health diseases are both influenced by diet.[iv]
How it will work
To classify junk foods the government has set up two qualification systems. The first is a list of 13 categories deemed junk food: soft drinks, savoury snacks, breakfast cereals, chocolates and sweets, ice creams, cakes, biscuits and bars, morning goods, desserts and puddings, yoghurts, pizzas, potatoes, and ready meals.iii
The second is a unique scoring system that analyses the salt, sugar, protein and other nutrients within a food or drink, with the ‘less healthy’ foods deemed illegible to advertise.iii For companies that do wish to advertise but can’t, their junk food products will need healthier recipes that pass the scoring system. Famous fast-food chains can still promote their healthy products even if the brand as a whole is commonly associated with junk food.[v]
The oral health impacts
Whilst designed to combat obesity and its £6 billion impact on the NHS each year, the ban is also of great benefit to oral health.[vi] Increased body mass index is associated with a greater risk of periodontitis due to the presence of inflammation-promoting cytokines. Unhealthy diets are also less likely to include the nutrients and antioxidants that help maintain a strong immune system, increasing the risk of gingival diseases by failing to fight infection.[vii] Tooth decay is the biggest reason for hospital admissions for children aged 5-9, and so limiting junk food exposure could further reduce the financial strain of the NHS.[viii]
However, both children and adults may assume certain foods are deemed completely healthy just because they will still be advertised during the day. Despite their sugar content, foods like fruit and jam will not be banned, as will zero sugar drinks.v Whilst better for the body and able to reduce the risk of obesity, these can still be damaging to oral health when consumed in excess due to their acidity. Zero sugar drinks can be highly erosive, making them a threat to the enamel, whilst regularly snacking on fruit and jam can cause decay, sensitivity, and discolouration.vii A consistent oral hygiene routine can mean consumers can enjoying the health benefits of acidic fruits without compromising their dental health.
Protecting the oral cavity
The advert ban does not stop people from buying and eating junk food, and its impact may not be fully seen for years to come. Consumers can still enjoy the affected treats by moderating their dietary intake and ensuring that they are regularly cleaning their teeth twice a day, and ensuring their remove interdental plaque and food debris. By doing so, the risk of gingival diseases and tooth decay from acidic and sugary foods is lowered.
An effective way of keeping the oral cavity clean is with the Cordless Advanced water flosser from Waterpikä. Able to remove up to 99.9% of plaque from treated areas, the Waterpik™ Cordless Advanced is a reliable part of the daily oral hygiene routine.[ix] When compared with string floss, the water flosser is up to 50% more effective for improving gum health, deterring the risk of infection.[x] With 4 tips, 3 pressure settings and a 360-degree tip rotation, the Cordless Advanced can be customised to match the patient’s preference during their oral hygiene routine.
The junk food advert ban represents a push to tackle obesity, and one that will also improve oral health by reducing the exposure to sugary and acidic foods. By encouraging consistency with the daily oral hygiene routine, practitioners can help promote a healthier future for all.
For more information on WaterpikTM water flosser products visit www.waterpik.co.uk. WaterpikTM products are available from Amazon, Costco UK, Argos, Boots and Tesco online and in stores across the UK and Ireland.
Author:
Anne Symons is a Dental Hygienist currently working in a Specialist Periodontal/implant practice and also a busy NHS surgery. She has previously worked in a Max Fax unit, and also taught Oral Health care to staff in Nursing and Residential homes.
[i] www.ofcom.org.uk. (2016). What is the watershed? [online] Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-standards/what-is-the-watershed/#:~:text=There%20are%20strict%20rules%20about [Accessed 25 Sep. 2024].
[ii] Campbell, D. (2024). Junk food TV ads to be banned pre-watershed in UK from October 2025. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/12/junk-food-tv-ads-to-be-banned-pre-watershed-in-uk-from-october-2025.
[iii] Sandeman, G. (2024). Junk food ban: What is included under new advert rules for online? [online] BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3d33l53r9o.
[iv] Issrani, R., Reddy, J., Bader, A.K., Albalawi, R.F.H., Alserhani, E.D.M., Alruwaili, D.S.R., Alanazi, G.R.A., Alruwaili, N.S.R., Sghaireen, M.G. and Rao, K. (2023). Exploring an Association between Body Mass Index and Oral Health—A Scoping Review. Diagnostics, [online] 13(5), p.902. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13050902.
[v] British Dental Association (2021). Dentists support ban on junk food advertising. [online] British Dental Assocation. Available at: https://www.bda.org/news-and-opinion/news/dentists-support-ban-on-junk-food-advertising/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2024].
[vi] Holland, C. (2022). Obesity, oral health and the role of the dental profession. British Dental Journal, [online] 233(9), pp.712–713. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-022-5242-2.
[vii] www.colgate.com. (n.d.). Periodontal Disease & Obesity. [online] Available at: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/threats-to-dental-health/periodontal-disease-and-obesity.
[viii] Soffe, E. (2021). Provision of UK healthcare for children in hospital | Interweave Healthcare. [online] Interweave Textiles Ltd. Available at: https://www.interweavetextiles.com/children-in-hospital/.
[ix] Gorur, A., Lyle, D.M., Schaudinn, C. and Costerton, J.W. (2009). Biofilm removal with a dental water jet. Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry (Jamesburg, N.J.: 1995), [online] 30 Spec No 1, pp.1–6. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19385349/.
[x] Mancinelli-Lyle, D., Qaqish, J.G., Goyal, C.R. and Schuller, R. (2023). Effectiveness of a Sonic-Flosser Toothbrush with a Different Size Brush Heads and Manual Toothbrush plus Dental Floss on Plaque, Gingival Bleeding and Inflammation in Adults with Naturally Occurring Gingivitis: A 4-Week Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Dental Hygiene. [online] doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.12675.
