Wales - Water fluoridation has the greatest potential to reduce tooth decay'

Water fluoridation has the greatest potential to reduce tooth decay'
Mar 24 2007
Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail
The British Dental Association Wales' manifesto makes a thinly-veiled call for the next National Assembly to consider water fluoridation.
The manifesto states that it should support a policy which "gets fluoride into contact with teeth in the most clinically effective, cost-effective and acceptable way".The controversial practice of adding fluoride to the water supply - regarded by some as forced mass-medication - is not the only way of protecting dental health.
Fluoride can also be added to milk distributed to school children or even to salt. Another idea would be to give away free fluoride toothpaste.
But the manifesto states, "Of these methods, water fluoridation has the greatest potential to reduce tooth decay and improve oral health inequalities."
The last place in Wales to have fluoridated water was Anglesey - after it was stopped in 1991, there was a 68% rise in tooth decay levels in children of all ages within five years.
For fluoride to be added to the water supply the National Assembly must enact section 58 of the Water Act 2003 which would mean water companies have a duty to fluoridate water supplies if requested to do so by local health boards, following public consultation.

"68% rise in tooth decay levels in children of all ages within five years." If this was right surely the York report would have found ample evidence that fluoridation is very effective.