Australia - PM laments tooth decay, refuses funding

Prime Minister John Howard has lamented the state of children's teeth in Australia, but refuses to promise more funds for state dental services.
Mr Howard said tooth decay in young children was a national tragedy, and urged parents to offer their children fluoridated tap water.
"I grew up in a generation who had bad teeth because we didn't have fluoride and fortunately my children have all got great teeth," Mr Howard told Fairfax newspapers.
"But kids who are born into the bottled water generation are missing out on that."
Most drinking water supplies have fluoride added, but bottled water doesn't contain the compound that prevents tooth decay.
However, Mr Howard would not promise a commonwealth funding boost to state dental services.
Latest figures show one in five children aged five and under got a filling when they went to the dentist, with 38 per cent of 10- to 16-year-olds getting at least one filling. AAP

Why does the UK still push for fluoridation if it does not work supposedly because kids don't drink tap water? I can't believe the under privileged buy bottled water although they most likely buy soft drinks