NZ - Whakatane Stops Water Fluoridation
Whakatane Stops Water Fluoridation: Money to Be Spent on Oral Health Care Programme
After 44 years of water fluoridation, Whakatane District Council has voted to end the out-dated practice. Instead, they will consider providing funds to the District Health Board for targeted oral health programmes, like CHILDSMILE, which has been successful in Scotland for more than a decade. Because of this programme, Scottish children now have better teeth than New Zealand children, and Scotland has never been fluoridated.
37,000 people, including Whakatane and Ohope, will now have their water without added Hydrofluorosilic Acid (aka fluoride). With dental health statistics for Bay of Plenty showing no difference in decay rates between fluoridated Whakatane and the non fluoridated rest of the region. The only health effect from ending fluoridation is expected to be better health for all.
Fluoride Free New Zealand congratulates those Councillors that voted to stop. The reason most Councillors gave for choosing to stop fluoridation is that they were unsure of the health risks, and did not feel it should be their job to decide. Mayor Bonne said one of the reasons he voted to stop fluoridation was because he had been advised by previous Health Ministers that the Council was responsible, and that if it is found that fluoridation causes harm, then it will be the Council that would carry the consequences, not the Ministry of Health or Central Government..............
After 44 years of water fluoridation, Whakatane District Council has voted to end the out-dated practice. Instead, they will consider providing funds to the District Health Board for targeted oral health programmes, like CHILDSMILE, which has been successful in Scotland for more than a decade. Because of this programme, Scottish children now have better teeth than New Zealand children, and Scotland has never been fluoridated.
37,000 people, including Whakatane and Ohope, will now have their water without added Hydrofluorosilic Acid (aka fluoride). With dental health statistics for Bay of Plenty showing no difference in decay rates between fluoridated Whakatane and the non fluoridated rest of the region. The only health effect from ending fluoridation is expected to be better health for all.
Fluoride Free New Zealand congratulates those Councillors that voted to stop. The reason most Councillors gave for choosing to stop fluoridation is that they were unsure of the health risks, and did not feel it should be their job to decide. Mayor Bonne said one of the reasons he voted to stop fluoridation was because he had been advised by previous Health Ministers that the Council was responsible, and that if it is found that fluoridation causes harm, then it will be the Council that would carry the consequences, not the Ministry of Health or Central Government..............
posted by Bill at
10:21 AM
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