The fluoride debate comes down to choice

TONY KELLY (HAS, July 20) rather misses the point in his letter about fluoride.

Mr Kelly describes fluoride as "an essential component of our diet, but it is a perfectly harmless and quite helpful one".

M Watson's original letter (HAS, July 8) criticised the decision to add fluoride to water supplies giving people no choice on whether or not to use it "perfectly harmless", or not.

I can eat peanuts with no effect, but others could die with the slightest taste.

The same applies to fluoride, but the difference is I have the choice of eating peanuts or not.

Put fluoride in the water and I have no choice.

I have read of people who have to travel miles to drink fluoride-free water or else they will suffer severe reactions.

Tom Cooper, Durham.