by Michael Smith
While surveys of five to 11-year-olds may have shown that children living in areas where the water is not fluoridated have significantly more tooth decay than those living in fluoridated areas the side effects of the fluoridation of drinking water outweigh the benefits. So, at least, I understand it. Also, a little bit more education in oral hygiene might help as well, rather than chucking fluoride, a known poison, into the drinking water, in however minute quantities.
Recently county councillors have rejected proposals for one of the south coast's largest cities to add fluoride to its drinking water.
Hampshire County Council unanimously voted against artificial fluoridation of the water in Southampton and South West Hampshire after an investigation by a special panel of councillors.
Responding to a consultation by the local Strategic Health Authority (SHA), the council said more research and reassurances are needed before Southampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT) takes any further steps.
The Southampton City Primary Care Trust has proposed the move to reduce what it says are "unacceptable levels of dental decay" in Southampton, but the county council raised fears it could instead damage the population's dental health.
Council leader Ken Thornber said: "The Southampton City PCT wants to improve the oral health of specific communities in Southampton, but their proposals will impact on people in South West Hampshire who do not have the same problems of poor dental health.
"There may be some benefit to some children living in the affected area but there is also a strong possibility that children with otherwise health teeth may develop a degree of fluorosis."
Warnings are given by some dentists and toothpaste manufacturers as to the fact that children should only use a very small amount of toothpaste in order to avoid fluorosis, which is nastier than tooth decay, methinks, from the effects that I have seen.
But just a day earlier, Southampton City Council had voted 26 to 18 to back the plans.
Andrew Mortimore, public health director for Southampton City PCT, said: "We are delighted by the fact that elected councillors who represent Southampton, which makes up the majority of those who would benefit from fluoridated water in the proposed scheme, have decided to support water fluoridation."
He added that he hoped more residents would follow the city council's lead and support the proposals.
What always comes to my mind, from some of what has been told to me as regards to what fluoride, especially sodium fluoride, is, is the questions as to why this idea about adding that stuff to the drinking water. Aside from the fact that is can, and will given only half a chance, cause fluorosis, fluoride is a poison on a scale similar to arsenic and it is also a neural pathway agent. So, what's it all about Alfie, as with that stuff in the water?
© M Smith (Veshengro), December 2008
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County gives thumbs down to fluoridation
