UK - Dianne Standen questions logic

Fluoride in water warning
Published on 07/02/2008
ANTI-FLUORIDATION campaigners have hit out at government plans to flood the country’s water supplies with added fluoride.
Cumbrians against Fluoridation has been campaigning for the last eight years against what it claims is the use of an untested, unresearched chemical in the area’s drinking water.
West Cumbria is one of around 30 areas in England to have fluoride added to its water supply. It is the only place in Cumbria where the water is treated in such a way.
Now Health Secretary Alan Johnson has urged the NHS to consider fluoridating tap water in areas with poor dental health to help prevent tooth decay. He has also pledged £42m to get the idea off the ground.
But co-founder of Cumbrians against Fluoridation, Dianne Standen, of Maryport, has questioned the logic of adding fluoride to the water supply instead of letting people get it by brushing their teeth.
She said: “If that money was to be spent in actually targeting the areas of need then the best thing they could do is get out there and supply them with free toothpaste and toothbrushes.
“I was unaware of the damage fluoride and water fluoridation can do to teeth until two of my children showed strong signs of dental fluorosis. They went on to have the affected teeth removed and veneers put in place. Now they are adults they face a huge dental bill every decade to maintain the veneers.
“Although the damage done to their teeth was very visible, what is more disturbing is that there is no knowledge of the impact excess fluoride may have had on their developing bodies and how it will affect their health over time.”
She said the added chemical is of a much higher concentration than that of natural fluoride, which is usually used in toothpaste to give healthy teeth, and is a by-product of fertiliser production.
However, the Department of Health said academic studies show that oral health is better in areas where tap water is already fluoridated and that the number of children with tooth decay decreases by 15 per cent.
The government funding will be split into £14m a year for the next three years to be shared by those health authorities who, following consultations, find that the local community is in favour of fluoridation.
Mr Johnson said: “Fluoridation is scientifically supported, it is legal, and it is our policy. We need to go much further in areas where dental health needs to be improved.
“It is an effective and relatively easy way to help address health inequalities – giving children from poorer backgrounds a dental health boost that can last a lifetime, reducing tooth decay and thereby cutting down on the amount of dental work they need in the future.”
To help strategic health authorities assess the level of public support for local fluoridation schemes, the Department of Health has issued revised guidance designed to ensure local consultations are conducted in a fair and objective way, with benefits and risks being properly considered.
Mr Johnson added: “There are people who hold strong views on this subject, so it is important that any proposed schemes are fully and widely consulted on.
“The funding means that, should local people decide to support fluoridation, health authorities have the resources to implement it.”