Australia: Debate rages
Jessica Harris
Friday, 9 December 2005
A PUBLIC meeting on fluoride is unlikely to change the State Government's plans to fluoridate Horsham's water supply. About 150 people attended a fluoride debate organised by Horsham Anti-Fluoride Group in a bid to give residents the opportunity to hear both pro and anti fluoride arguments in Horsham Town Hall on Tuesday night.
The group called the meeting in response to a Department of Human Services announcement in September that it would fluoridate Horsham's water to combat poor oral health in the region. Anti-fluoride spokesman and director of Melbourne-based Hope Medical Research Institute, Professor Noel Campbell, told the audience he believed in fluoride for his first 20 years as a dentist. "Then I began researching the work of other scientists in the field and I found confirmation that in concentrations not far above the one part per million recommended, fluoride has toxic actions," Prof Campbell said.
Geelong naturopath Philip Robertson said an encounter with a patient, who became sick only when she drank fluoridated water, led him to an anti-fluoride stance.
Wimmera Primary Care Partnership, with support from about 30 health and community groups, appealed for fluoridation of Horsham's water supply more than 12 months ago.
Executive director Peter Brown spoke about the need to improve public health, specifically oral health, in the Grampians region, including Horsham. He said the region had the worst oral health in Victoria. "I think most people here tonight have made up their minds so I do wonder about the point of all this but I act with good motives. Dental health is another area where, unfortunately, the country has missed out," Mr Brown said. "We have a three-year wait for non-urgent public dental work, the hospital can only do emergency work and there is a three-month wait for private services." He said only six people had approached him with questions about fluoride but hoped that seeing the public health of the region on the front pages of the newspaper would promote an increased interest in overall good health.
Friday, 9 December 2005
A PUBLIC meeting on fluoride is unlikely to change the State Government's plans to fluoridate Horsham's water supply. About 150 people attended a fluoride debate organised by Horsham Anti-Fluoride Group in a bid to give residents the opportunity to hear both pro and anti fluoride arguments in Horsham Town Hall on Tuesday night.
The group called the meeting in response to a Department of Human Services announcement in September that it would fluoridate Horsham's water to combat poor oral health in the region. Anti-fluoride spokesman and director of Melbourne-based Hope Medical Research Institute, Professor Noel Campbell, told the audience he believed in fluoride for his first 20 years as a dentist. "Then I began researching the work of other scientists in the field and I found confirmation that in concentrations not far above the one part per million recommended, fluoride has toxic actions," Prof Campbell said.
Geelong naturopath Philip Robertson said an encounter with a patient, who became sick only when she drank fluoridated water, led him to an anti-fluoride stance.
Wimmera Primary Care Partnership, with support from about 30 health and community groups, appealed for fluoridation of Horsham's water supply more than 12 months ago.
Executive director Peter Brown spoke about the need to improve public health, specifically oral health, in the Grampians region, including Horsham. He said the region had the worst oral health in Victoria. "I think most people here tonight have made up their minds so I do wonder about the point of all this but I act with good motives. Dental health is another area where, unfortunately, the country has missed out," Mr Brown said. "We have a three-year wait for non-urgent public dental work, the hospital can only do emergency work and there is a three-month wait for private services." He said only six people had approached him with questions about fluoride but hoped that seeing the public health of the region on the front pages of the newspaper would promote an increased interest in overall good health.
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