Australians need a commonwealth dental scheme, not even more water fluoridation
Copy sent to all federal politiciaans and all Queensland State MPs
Water fluoridation used as a distraction for not providing commonwealth dental scheme for the needy
There are 650,000 people on lengthy public dental lists across Australia. Most of these people are resident in states and territories with water supplies already fluoridated at 80 % to 100%. Many of these 650,000 people would be suffering considerable pain or discomfort from decayed teeth. Ironically, Queensland, with only 5% water fluoridation appears to have shorter dental waiting lists than most other states.
A new report by Dentists at the Adelaide Dental School that was promoted nationally on TV on March 17, showed that people who did not have private Health Insurance had significantly more decay than those who could afford Private Insurance. Logically, it would appear then, that how much, or how little money you have, makes more of a difference to your Oral Health than anything else, especially fluoridated water.
It was reported that one in four people across Australian suffer untreated tooth decay and in one in three people avoiding going to a dentist because they cannot afford it This new report touts as proof that water fluoridation is effective because Australians born since 1970 have half the decay that their parent's generation ( before fluoridated toothpaste ). The report's
authors say it is strong evidence of the effectiveness of fluoride in water and toothpaste against dental decay. But what sort of proof is this? Does that mean that the researchers studied those two issues, water fluoridation and fluoridated toothpaste, separately so that they could distinguish between what was due to water fluoridation and what was due to toothpaste, or even due to fissure sealants ( preventative fillings) that dentists are so fond of.
It would be very difficult to separate the two issues of water and toothpaste considering how difficult it is to find non-fluoridated toothpaste in most supermarkets. If the two issues were not separated, it would be a very flawed and misleading study.
Please look at figures sourced from the World Health Organisation, the 2nd graph, at the listed website following, titled "Tooth decay trends in Fluoridated vs, Unfluoridated Countries"
It is obvious that decay rates have been steadily and similarly, decreasing over many years, at least since the 1970s and 80s both in fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries. This generation may have half the tooth decay of their parent's generation, but, it cannot be claimed to be due to fluoridated water, as exactly the same decrease is seen in countries without water fluoridation. Other studies show the decrease started even before the introduction of fluoridate toothpaste
The new report from Adelaide then, is really a bit of a beat-up, similar to a report authored by Mr Gary Slade and Mr John Spencer from Adelaide Dental School, who promoted Townsville's children as having up to 65% less than decay than Brisbane children when it was really only a tiny 0.2 of one tooth surface out of 128 surfaces. With so many Australians on public dental waiting lists, suffering unnecessary distress, it is obvious that this part of the Federal Health Minister, Mr Abbott's Portfolio is in a shambles. However instead of being ashamed of this situation, Mr Abbott on National TV just smirks and says he refuses to reinstate the Commonwealth Dental Health Scheme and that the States have to "grow up" and pay for some things.
The Federal President of the Australian Dental Association, Bill O'Reilly, a couple of years ago reported that the Commonwealth Dental Scheme (before it was axed when Mr Howard came to power), was making a difference to public waiting lists and he called for it to be reinstated. He also admitted that Dental, like Medical should be a Federal Responsibility
under the Australian Constitution.
Mr Abbott is aware that the GST coffers are overflowing, while many people are finding it hard to make ends meet with rising prices of food, water, petrol, and interest rate increases.
Labor has promised a Commonwealth Dental Scheme if they win government. This is welcome news. Meanwhile, Mr Abbott just seems to be misleadingly using water fluoridation as a distraction to avoid the Coalition Government's reponsibility of providing a decent oral health service for hundreds of thousands of Australians in need.
Merilyn Haines
Spokesperson for Queenslanders Against Water Fluoridation Inc.
58 Vied Rd
PALLARA 4110
Water fluoridation used as a distraction for not providing commonwealth dental scheme for the needy
There are 650,000 people on lengthy public dental lists across Australia. Most of these people are resident in states and territories with water supplies already fluoridated at 80 % to 100%. Many of these 650,000 people would be suffering considerable pain or discomfort from decayed teeth. Ironically, Queensland, with only 5% water fluoridation appears to have shorter dental waiting lists than most other states.
A new report by Dentists at the Adelaide Dental School that was promoted nationally on TV on March 17, showed that people who did not have private Health Insurance had significantly more decay than those who could afford Private Insurance. Logically, it would appear then, that how much, or how little money you have, makes more of a difference to your Oral Health than anything else, especially fluoridated water.
It was reported that one in four people across Australian suffer untreated tooth decay and in one in three people avoiding going to a dentist because they cannot afford it This new report touts as proof that water fluoridation is effective because Australians born since 1970 have half the decay that their parent's generation ( before fluoridated toothpaste ). The report's
authors say it is strong evidence of the effectiveness of fluoride in water and toothpaste against dental decay. But what sort of proof is this? Does that mean that the researchers studied those two issues, water fluoridation and fluoridated toothpaste, separately so that they could distinguish between what was due to water fluoridation and what was due to toothpaste, or even due to fissure sealants ( preventative fillings) that dentists are so fond of.
It would be very difficult to separate the two issues of water and toothpaste considering how difficult it is to find non-fluoridated toothpaste in most supermarkets. If the two issues were not separated, it would be a very flawed and misleading study.
Please look at figures sourced from the World Health Organisation, the 2nd graph, at the listed website following, titled "Tooth decay trends in Fluoridated vs, Unfluoridated Countries"
It is obvious that decay rates have been steadily and similarly, decreasing over many years, at least since the 1970s and 80s both in fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries. This generation may have half the tooth decay of their parent's generation, but, it cannot be claimed to be due to fluoridated water, as exactly the same decrease is seen in countries without water fluoridation. Other studies show the decrease started even before the introduction of fluoridate toothpaste
The new report from Adelaide then, is really a bit of a beat-up, similar to a report authored by Mr Gary Slade and Mr John Spencer from Adelaide Dental School, who promoted Townsville's children as having up to 65% less than decay than Brisbane children when it was really only a tiny 0.2 of one tooth surface out of 128 surfaces. With so many Australians on public dental waiting lists, suffering unnecessary distress, it is obvious that this part of the Federal Health Minister, Mr Abbott's Portfolio is in a shambles. However instead of being ashamed of this situation, Mr Abbott on National TV just smirks and says he refuses to reinstate the Commonwealth Dental Health Scheme and that the States have to "grow up" and pay for some things.
The Federal President of the Australian Dental Association, Bill O'Reilly, a couple of years ago reported that the Commonwealth Dental Scheme (before it was axed when Mr Howard came to power), was making a difference to public waiting lists and he called for it to be reinstated. He also admitted that Dental, like Medical should be a Federal Responsibility
under the Australian Constitution.
Mr Abbott is aware that the GST coffers are overflowing, while many people are finding it hard to make ends meet with rising prices of food, water, petrol, and interest rate increases.
Labor has promised a Commonwealth Dental Scheme if they win government. This is welcome news. Meanwhile, Mr Abbott just seems to be misleadingly using water fluoridation as a distraction to avoid the Coalition Government's reponsibility of providing a decent oral health service for hundreds of thousands of Australians in need.
Merilyn Haines
Spokesperson for Queenslanders Against Water Fluoridation Inc.
58 Vied Rd
PALLARA 4110
posted by Bill at
9:36 AM
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