6 Reasons to Review Water Fluoridation by Lisa Intemann

Water fluoridation has been practised in many countries over various periods of time since first instituted by the US Public Health Service in 1945. Presently only six countries fluoridate the water supplies of more than 50% of their population. These are Australia; USA; Ireland; New Zealand; Singapore and Columbia.

Fluoridation has been promoted and supported in the belief that it ‘substantially’ reduces tooth decay and is ‘safe’ for general health.

However the York Review 2000 – a systematic inquiry into the state of global knowledge about fluoridation - found the case for water fluoridation has NOT been made.

First fluoridation ‘might reduce tooth decay by a fraction of one decayed tooth per child’. But even this small claim ignores the effect of broader trends such as the more general global decline in rates of decay - in both fluoridated and unfluoridated countries.

Second an association has been reported between fluoride ingestion and a number of health disorders. But these have NOT been properly researched so no confident conclusions about safety can be reached.

Therefore third the case in favour of water fluoridation has not been made. 

This report aims to develop the case for an immediate review of water fluoridation.

Download the rest of the report here.....(681KB)