Disable the Horizontal Scroll

Appropriate use of "overflow-x: hidden"

The overflow-x: hidden; is a rash decision and can lead to inadvertent results. Handle with caution:

• Fixed elements: May misbehave.
• Content truncation: Sides of the main content might become concealed.

Always review the HTML layout to prevent vital sections or interactive components from being cut off due to hidden overflow.

Obliging wider elements

On some occasions, specific elements overshoot the viewport-width. This could be due to fixed positioning, content like long URLs that don’t wrap, or other styling issues. To deal with these misfits:

• Define max-width in CSS:

.overshoot {
  max-width: 100%; // just lose some weight, would ya?
}
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• Break the long words/URLs:

.break-free {
  word-wrap: break-word; // Freedom!
}
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• Utilize JavaScript to detect and handle these elements:

if(element.offsetWidth > document.documentElement.clientWidth) {
  // Code to deal with the overflowing elements
  // Naughty, naughty element!
}
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Responsive design and media queries

A good responsive design tailor fits the content across devices of various sizes. To ensure your website responds correctly to different widths, leverage the power of media queries:

@media (max-width: 600px) {
  .some-class {
    width: 100%; // Flexibility is my middle name!
  }
}
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Remember that disabling horizontal scroll shouldn't compromise the responsiveness of the website.

Ensuring effect across devices

Applying overflow-x: hidden; is your first step in addressing unwanted horizontal scrolling. The next eminent task is to validate this implementation across various devices and browsers to ensure all vital content is accessible and the user experience is seamless.

JavaScript for refined scrolling control

Don't shy away from using JavaScript when CSS falls short. To block horizontal movement resulting from user actions, attach an event listener to the scroll event:

window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {
  window.scroll(0, window.pageYOffset); // Sit down and stay there!
});


This will keep the window's horizontal position in check, ensuring seamless vertical scrolling despite user actions to the contrary.

Anticipating side effects and considerations

Before you decide to disable the horizontal scroll, bear in mind the following:

• Comprehensibility: Is every information on the page easily reachable?
• Visual Shifts: Changing overflow properties can affect the layout, inspect carefully.
• Performance: Be circumspect with JavaScript; overflow manipulations could affect the page load speed.