NZ - Top fluoridation promoter chooses unfluoridated Napier water

Monday, 26 August, 2013 - 10:45

Robin Whyman is the dental consultant for the Ministry of Health’s National Fluoridation Information Service and is arguably the top fluoridation promoter in the country. Yet when he moved to Hawke’s Bay last year, to lead the pro-fluoridation campaign for the upcoming referendum, he chose to live in unfluoridated Napier rather than fluoridated Hastings where his work place is based.

Fluoride Action Network NZ (FANNZ) spokesperson Mary Byrne, would like to know why this is. "Since Mr Whyman is obviously such a believer in fluoridation that he wants to force it onto all 55,000 residents of Hastings, wouldn’t it make sense that he actually live in the town? If there is nothing wrong with fluoridation, and it is so important for teeth, then why didn’t Mr Whyman chose to live in Hastings? Or it is that he knows more about fluoride than he is letting on and doesn’t want his family exposed to this toxic substance? I would also like to know if he and his family are all taking fluoride tablets since they live in an unfluoridated area. If not, then why is he trying to force fluoride down the throats of other people?"

Napier and Hastings share the same artesian water supply, which does not require any chemical intervention for it to be safe to drink. However, since 1954 Hastings people have been subjected to one fluoride chemical or another being added to their supply. Hastings was the first place in the country to have fluoridation, when the Napier-Hastings trial was set up to "prove" that fluoridation reduced dental decay. When the results of the trial showed that dental decay in Napier was improving at a greater rate that Hastings, Napier was abandoned as the control. Instead the promoters only told people how dental decay had reduced in Hastings.

Between 1954 and 2002 there was little difference in tooth decay between the two cities. In fact Napier had slightly less. Similarly, there has been no appreciable difference in tooth decay between all the fluoridated and unfluoridated communities of the Hawke’s Bay, even though low decile Wairoa is in the unfluoridated group. Yet Dr Whyman is ignoring 60 years of data and quoting a 7% benefit from fluoridation, which would be insignificant anyway.

Dental decay rates have steadily reduced in both Napier and Hastings over the past 60 years showing it has nothing to do with fluoridation. This year Hastings residents can vote to have naturally clean artesian water like Mr Whyman and other Napier folk enjoy.