Blackpool school children could receive fluoridated milk

Over 8,000 children in Blackpool are set to benefit from the introduction of fluoridated milk into their breakfast routine.

A proposal to introduce fluoridated milk, which contains fluoride to help reduce the risk of tooth decay, is set to be decided by the Council’s Executive on Monday 18 January.

The proposal comes as figures show that almost half of twelve year olds in the town have at least one decayed, missing or filled tooth – much higher than the national average of 33%.

Around 400 children in Blackpool are also admitted to hospital every year to have teeth extracted under general anaesthetic, at a cost to the NHS of thousands of pounds.

The announcement comes as a study carried out in Blackpool last year reveals that children in the town have lower than normal levels of fluoride in their bodies.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral which can be added to food and water and contributes to maintain tooth mineralisation. The mineral is commonplace in popular toothpastes and in some areas of the country water supplies have naturally occurring fluoride, or have fluoride added by the water suppliers; however that does not happen in Blackpool.

While fluoridating the water network is unfeasible in Blackpool, introducing the fluoridated milk into children’s breakfast routines in Blackpool can be carried out at no extra cost to the taxpayer, thanks to Blackpool Council’s flagship free breakfast scheme.

The scheme will be available to all primary school children but parents will have the option to opt out if they wish.

If approved, a group will be formed combining Blackpool Council, Public Health England, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and oral health charity the Borrow Foundation to oversee the application and implementation of the scheme.