Members of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) are ready to support communities in England that decide to implement water fluoridation.
The 79 page toolkit from Public Health England covers everything you need to know about water fluoridation, from the evidence for its benefits to the complex processes that need to be followed to achieve fluoridation of the local water supply.
Professor Kevin Fenton, national director of health and well-being at Public Health England (PHE), says that PHE is “wholly supportive” of BSPD’s position statement published in 2014, which called for the fluoridation of water supplies where the burden of tooth decay is severe enough to warrant this public health measure.
BSPD members will welcome the opportunity to provide their views on water fluoridation, said Claire Stevens, spokeswoman and paediatric dental consultant.
She said: “The evidence behind the positive impact of fluoride on teeth is strong. However, there are many areas of the UK were there is no fluoride in the water and children and young people in these areas suffer from more dental decay than in other areas.”
She said that roughly six million people in the UK benefit from fluoridated water, either because it occurs naturally in the water supply or because it’s added in minute quantities as a supplement – “I live in Newcastle where the water is fluoridated but travel to work in Manchester where the water is not fluoridated and the dental health of children is markedly worse.”
Claire added: “While I welcome PHE’s recognition for our position statement and know that our membership is happy to play a role, I do feel frustrated that responsibility for fluoridation has been passed down to local level. Each locality will have to deal with their local water board and carry out a consultation of the local population. The work involved is complex and costly.”
She added: “My fear is that water fluoridation will happen in some areas but not others and this will reinforce the inequalities that already exist. But I believe in staying positive; I hope that the toolkit and a commitment to wipe out the health inequalities created by the absence of fluoride in some areas will win over the hearts and minds of community decision makers. BSPD is at the ready to support them.”