The government recently announced that there will be a ban on paid ads for junk food before 9pm, including products high in sugar, fat and salt. The aim is to prevent kids seeing the ads and to tackle obesity, but this is a really good move towards preventing oral health problems in children too.

Our Group Clinical Director, Nyree Whitley, said: “As a dentist and a parent I welcome the 9pm watershed for advertising foods that are high in sugar to children. All too often we see children in practice whose diet has led to entirely preventable dental decay, tooth pain and ultimately extractions. It’s a sad fact that more than 20,000 under 10s are admitted to hospital in the UK annually because of dental problems, and it is likely that these children will continue to suffer as they grow up due to the knock on effects on the adult teeth as they develop.

“I hope the advertising ban will help to reduce desire for products aimed at children such as sweets, yogurts, juices and biscuits, leading to a diet lower in sugar and playing a role in breaking the cycle of childhood dental decay.”

You can read more about the advertising ban here.