The association between poor oral health and increased risk of cardiovascular disease should make the reduction of dietary sugars an important health policy target, say researchers writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

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Junk food and heart disease: the missing tooth (due to be published on 28/11/13) was written by Mohammed Ahmed Rashid and Amardeep Bains and refers to the well-publicised New York 'soda ban' controversy.

Dr Rashid, of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, said: 'As well as having high levels of fats and salt, junk foods often contain a great deal of sugar and the effect this has on oral health may be an important additional mechanism by which junk food elevates risk of cardiovascular disease. Among different types of junk food, soft drinks have raised particular concerns and are the main source of free sugar for many individuals.'

The authors point out in the article that in the UK, fizzy drinks remain commonly available in public areas ranging from hospitals to school.