Tasmanian dentists urge expansion of fluoride into water supplies of state’s smaller townships

April 10, 2016 3:00pm
ANNE MATHERMercury
TASMANIAN dentists are pushing for greater fluoridation of water in rural communities to combat the state’s poor oral health.
Dental experts are also concerned the growing trend of drinking bottled water is denying children fluoride and leading to a rise in tooth decay.

According to data from TasWater, 36 towns do not have fluoridated water supply.
Tasmania has the worst adult oral health in Australia — blamed partly on a more decentralised population reliant on non-fluoridated drinking water.
University of Tasmania associate professor of oral health Leonard Crocombe said fluoridated tap water was a simple preventive measure.

He said research showed Tasmanian children’s rates of tooth decay at the age of six started to rise again in the mid 1990s after decades of decline.
“I think this is partly because of more hidden sugars in the diet — but also linked to the consumption of bottled water,” he said.

“Most bottled water does not contain fluoride.”

The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Dentists Association has highlighted concerns about fluoridation levels in a submission to the State Government’s draft “Healthy Tasmania — Five Year Strategic Plan”.
The association called for communities with as few as 500 people have access to fluoridated water supplies..............