UK - Bolton Expert supports fluoride in water (with 9 comments)
Expert supports fluoride in water
By Jane Lavender
A HEALTH expert who works in an area of Britain that has added flouride to its water says it was "money well spent." John Langford said the West Midlands, which spends £1.5 million a year to fluoridate its water supply, had seen a substantial rise in the health of people's teeth. The West Midlands has been adding fluoride to its water supply since 1964. Mr Langford, a consultant in dental public health for West Midlands NHS, said: "The impact on dental health of adding fluoride to the water supply has been substantial. It is absolutely money well spent.
"If we were having to buy the dental treatment for the people who would be getting dental decay, it would cost much more." Around 3.2 million people receive fluoridated water in the West Midlands, which is served by 45 treatment plants.
If Bolton was to face the same costs as experienced in the West Midlands, it is estimated it would cost around £130,000 to fluoridate the borough's water, equivalent to 50p per person. However, Bolton's health chiefs say they have not yet started to calculate the exact price of adding fluoride to the water supply.
Jan Hutchinson, director of public health for Bolton Primary Care Trust, said: "The work that is currently going on is to establish what the costs will be.
"I would not expect it to be more expensive than the West Midlands, but it will depend on how many treatment plants are included and how much of the North-west wants its water fluoridated."
Bolton Council has decided to hold a referendum to discover whether people in the borough want fluoride adding to their water.
The results would act as a strong indicator of public opinion, but would not be binding.The final decision will be made by regional health chiefs at NHS North-west after it has carried out a full public consultation.
People in Bolton are divided on the issue, with some claiming fluoridated water is "mass medication". Others believe it would drastically improve the "appaling dental health of youngsters in the borough."
Statistics show that the state of children's teeth in Bolton needs addressing.
On average, every five-year-old child in Bolton has almost three teeth that are affected by decay - either missing, rotting or with a filling.
Tooth decay in children is worse in the poorest areas. In Central ward, the average child has 4.2 teeth damaged by decay. Even in Bromley Cross, one of the most affluent wards, five-year-old children have 1.08 teeth affected by decay - above the Government target of one per child
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By Jane Lavender
A HEALTH expert who works in an area of Britain that has added flouride to its water says it was "money well spent." John Langford said the West Midlands, which spends £1.5 million a year to fluoridate its water supply, had seen a substantial rise in the health of people's teeth. The West Midlands has been adding fluoride to its water supply since 1964. Mr Langford, a consultant in dental public health for West Midlands NHS, said: "The impact on dental health of adding fluoride to the water supply has been substantial. It is absolutely money well spent.
"If we were having to buy the dental treatment for the people who would be getting dental decay, it would cost much more." Around 3.2 million people receive fluoridated water in the West Midlands, which is served by 45 treatment plants.
If Bolton was to face the same costs as experienced in the West Midlands, it is estimated it would cost around £130,000 to fluoridate the borough's water, equivalent to 50p per person. However, Bolton's health chiefs say they have not yet started to calculate the exact price of adding fluoride to the water supply.
Jan Hutchinson, director of public health for Bolton Primary Care Trust, said: "The work that is currently going on is to establish what the costs will be.
"I would not expect it to be more expensive than the West Midlands, but it will depend on how many treatment plants are included and how much of the North-west wants its water fluoridated."
Bolton Council has decided to hold a referendum to discover whether people in the borough want fluoride adding to their water.
The results would act as a strong indicator of public opinion, but would not be binding.The final decision will be made by regional health chiefs at NHS North-west after it has carried out a full public consultation.
People in Bolton are divided on the issue, with some claiming fluoridated water is "mass medication". Others believe it would drastically improve the "appaling dental health of youngsters in the borough."
Statistics show that the state of children's teeth in Bolton needs addressing.
On average, every five-year-old child in Bolton has almost three teeth that are affected by decay - either missing, rotting or with a filling.
Tooth decay in children is worse in the poorest areas. In Central ward, the average child has 4.2 teeth damaged by decay. Even in Bromley Cross, one of the most affluent wards, five-year-old children have 1.08 teeth affected by decay - above the Government target of one per child
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