Support fluoride, ADA urges political parties

The Australian Dental Association has called on political parties to show their commitment to public health by requiring that water fluoridation of communities be a condition of funding for the States and Territories.  Fluoridation is recognized as one of the best preventive measures against dental disease, and most such diseases are preventable.

National Partnership Agreements and the National Oral Health Plan, which already recommends fluoridation, are examples where the new Federal Government can make a difference, Federal President Dr Karin Alexander said.

She said that the Queensland and NSW Governments had reduced their responsibilities for public dental health, resulting in municipal councils being swayed by fringe groups peddling fear, innuendo and conspiracy theories to remove fluoride or discontinue its use from water supplies.

The ADA urged the political parties to provide "leadership and back the science and the experts to improve the dental health of all Australians.”  Failure to do so would lead to higher dental disease rates and lead to higher costs of care under the Grow up Smiling scheme set to commence from 1 January 2014.