Hull fluoridation

The measures would see Hull residents join the 5.5 million people in the UK who benefit from drinking fluoridated water – whether naturally occurring or artificially­ topped up – at the optimal level for good teeth.

Research indicates that 43.4 per cent of five year-olds in the city have tooth decay compared with about 28 per cent nationally. Birmingham, which introduced water fluoridation half a century ago, saw child tooth decay fall by almost half in the first six years.
A study published in the British Dental Journal (BDJ) last year also showed that young people living in fluoridated West Midlands are far less likely to be admitted to hospital to remove decayed teeth than those living in the North West, which is not fluoridated.

Former health secretary and local MP, Alan Johnson, and Health and Wellbeing Board Chairman, Colin Inglis are reported as supporting the scheme, which if implemented would cost around 40p per head on an annual basis. This compares very favourably with the high cost of treating tooth decay, as well as sparing many young people needless pain and suffering, days lost from school or work, and the health risk of a general anaesthetic if they have to be admitted to hospital to have decayed teeth removed.