Got teeth? Get fluoride!
“The people of Hull can do something truly amazing; by welcoming fluoridation of water every child in Hull can have a Healthy Smile for Life.”
Sara Hurley, Chief Dental Officer for England
Here at 543, we’re totally dedicated to improving your oral health and we pursue that goal in and out of the surgery. In fact, we were recently in Westminster, presenting the annual Teeth Team report, detailing the charity work we do to bring dental health to schoolchildren, to Parliament. As part of this, the Rt Hon Alan Johnson, former Secretary of State for Health and MP for Hull West and Hessle from 1997 to 2015, issued a call for dental professionals and politicians to support water fluoridation measures in Hull.
Why water fluoridation? The simple answer is because it protects our teeth. Adding a tiny amount of fluoride to our drinking water has been proven to have a significant positive effect on dentition, with no proven ill effects. So why NOT do it? The bottom line is that if you have teeth, you should support this initiative. Here are some statistics* to help frame the scale of the issue – and the solution:
- In the past year, over 500 children in Hull and East Yorkshire had to undergo general anaesthesia due to tooth decay.
- 45% fewer children are admitted to hospital with tooth decay in areas with fluoridated water.
- Over 300 million people in 25 countries benefit from intentionally fluoridated water.
- There is no evidence of harm to health from water fluoridation.
Water fluoridation has the support of the NHS and Public Health England, but still needs visible public pressure in order to be adopted. If you’d like to help protect your children’s teeth – and your own – please write to your local councillors and your MP telling them that you support water fluoridation in Hull. If you have any questions about fluoride, or the impact it can have on your dental health, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01482 565 488.
*One Part Per Million Hull, accessed February 2018.
