Vimal Elaichi satchets: Why mouth fresheners have hidden health risks

Pan masala vs areca nut: the health risk is not only tobacco

Many mouth fresheners contain areca nut, or supari, which is itself carcinogenic. Regular areca-nut chewing is associated with oral submucous fibrosis, a progressive condition in which tissues inside the mouth become stiff and scarred. People may develop burning of the mouth, reduced movement of the tongue and increasing difficulty opening the mouth. Oral submucous fibrosis is a potentially malignant disorder and can progress to oral cancer.

Areca nut has been classified as carcinogenic to humans. A “tobacco-free” or “tobacco substitute” product should, therefore, not automatically be understood by consumers as a risk-free one. Smokeless tobacco increases the risk of cancers, cardiovascular disease, stroke and respiratory illness.

Alcohol vs soda drink

Environmental reminders associated with drinking can contribute to urges or cravings, particularly among people trying to cut down or stop. A commercial showing water, soda or another supposedly harmless product may therefore have an effect beyond the immediate product being advertised if it keeps the alcohol brand present in the consumer’s mind.

Besides sugar-sweetened beverages deserve particular attention because they are the surrogate products being advertised. These can add large amounts of sugar and calories without providing much nutritional value or the same feeling of fullness as solid food. WHO notes that the calories in these drinks increase total energy intake and contribute to unhealthy weight gain, resulting in childhood obesity.

The health effects extend beyond weight. Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular and metabolic disease, while the sugars themselves are an important cause of dental caries. WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10 per cent of total energy intake for both adults and children, with a further reduction to below five per cent providing additional health benefits.

There is also a simple behavioural problem. A sugary drink can be consumed quickly, repeatedly and almost without registering it as food. A child may drink a soft drink while watching a film, during a cricket match, after school or alongside a meal. If those occasions become habitual, the additional sugar and calories accumulate. For young people, frequent consumption can contribute to unhealthy weight gain and, over time, increase the risk of obesity and related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and liver disease.

Non-sugar fizzy drinks avoid the sugar and calories of regular soda but they are still acidic, which can contribute to tooth-enamel erosion when consumed frequently.

What do studies suggest?

In an Indian survey, nearly seven in ten adolescents said advertisements tempted them to eat junk food, with Instagram and YouTube among the important sources. Again, this was observational research and cannot establish cause and effect. But it is consistent with a larger body of evidence showing that exposure to food marketing can increase children’s preferences for advertised foods and influence what they ask for and consume.

Children and adolescents are not simply smaller versions of adult consumers. Their ability to recognise persuasive intent is still developing, and they are particularly responsive to popularity, celebrity endorsement, social approval and attractive imagery. A celebrity can make a product seem familiar and desirable even when the health consequences are known to all.