UK - Public Health England - Improving oral health: a community water fluoridation toolkit for local authorities

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Community water fluoridation toolkit for local authorities
Community water fluoridation schemes were first introduced in the US in 1945. Following successful trials in the UK in the 1950s, pioneer local authorities in England adopted fluoridation to tackle the problem of tooth decay in children. Birmingham led the way in 1964 and was quickly followed in the same decade by a number of other local authorities, some urban, some rural.
Today, fluoridation schemes in England cover some six million people. Fifty years later, despite improvements in dental health aided mostly by the introduction of toothpaste containing fluoride, tooth decay remains widespread, affecting children and adults. In many parts of the country too many children still need to go to hospital to have teeth removed under a general anaesthetic, and too many older adults suffer the devastating effects of loss of teeth, with accompanying inability to eat and enjoy life. Importantly, tooth decay and its consequences are largely preventable, and agencies with responsibility for public health can have a substantial impact on the disease. All water contains some fluoride; having the right level helps create a healthy environment, which helps people enjoy a healthier life. During my time working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, I saw first-hand the widespread adoption of fluoridation so that some 70% of Americans with a public water supply (around 200 million people) now enjoy the benefit of fluoridated water. CDC has named water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century. The return of responsibility for water fluoridation to local authorities now offers them the opportunity to take decisive action to improve the situation. An authority considering fluoridation will be met with claims that it doesn’t work, and that it causes harm. Both statements are untrue: PHE is satisfied that fluoridation is an effective community-wide public health intervention. Decisions on fluoridation are the responsibility of local authorities. PHE stands ready to support them and their public health teams with advice and information. This toolkit does just that and I hope you find it useful. Further support is always available from your PHE centre.
Professor Kevin Fenton
National Director of Health and Wellbeing
Public Health England

Southampton's rejection of fluoridation is not mentioned but I suppose all of us who helped to stop fluoridation come under this reference.. 

Experience over many decades of fluoridation in the UK and internationally has shown that there are people who make a range of untrue assertions and claims about fluoridation which can have a disproportionate impact on public opinion if unchallenged. Experience has also shown that in those parts of the country where fluoridation schemes have operated for many years it is not an ongoing issue of controversy for the general population. PHE therefore strongly advises any local authority minded to consider the possibility of water fluoridation that:

If unchallenged? They tried hard enough to dismiss us but majority of people with open minds believed us and not the arrogant PHE "We know best" litany.