Trevor Sargent
Question:122 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health if he can produce any laboratory studies which show that 1.0 parts per million fluoride in drinking water has reduced dental caries. [24543/96]
Written Answers. - Water Fluoridation.
Trevor Sargent
Question:123 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health if he can produce any blind or double-blind studies with a human population which prove fluoridation has reduced tooth decay. [24544/96]
Trevor Sargent
Question:124 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health if he can produce any medical and/or clinical studies which prove the complete safety of water fluoridation for persons who are young, old, well, sick and malnourished. [24545/96]
Trevor Sargent
Question:125 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing an independent and expert committee to investigate fully the history of water fluoridation throughout the world, specifically to examine all the scientific evidence relating to the claimed benefits and the potential health and environmental risks associated with the fluoridation of drinking water in view of the fact that fluoridation has been banned in many countries. [24546/96]
Trevor Sargent
Question:126 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health his views on the situation whereby fluoridation has been considered and in some cases tried, but rejected in almost all European countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24547/96]
Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 123, 124, 125 and 126 together.
A report of a World Health Organisation expert committee on oral health status and fluoride use states that laboratory research suggests that fluoride is most effective in caries prevention when a low level of flouride is constantly maintained in the oral cavity. This effect is achieved by community water fluoridation programmes at 1.0 part per million. The report, Flourides and Oral Health, Technical Report Series 846, which was published in 1994, is available from the World Health Organisation in Geneva.
The scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of water fluoridation in reducing tooth decay is overwhelming. Extensive studies over the past 50 years have established that individuals whose drinking water is fluoridated show a reduction of up to 50 per cent. As recently as 1992 a study comparing the decay level of 12 year old children in Dublin and Glasgow showed that the level of decay was 45 per cent lower in Dublin which is fluoridated compared to Glasgow which is non fluoridated. A recent publication comparing the decay levels for 5 to 7 year old children in 23 countries in Europe shows that Ireland has the lowest level of decay for this age group. It is also the country with the highest percentage of its population receiving fluoridated water.
Major reviews of the evidence by leading medical scientists have shown time and again that the use of fluoride in drinking water is safe to human health. The Department of Health and Human Services in the United States has reviewed all the relevant scientific information including that put forward by anti-fluoridationists. This comprehensive review of the benefits and potential health risk of fluoride has concluded that the practice of fluoridating community water supplies is safe and effective. The public health service of the Department of Health and Human Services continues to recommend the fluoridation of community water supplies where naturally occurring fluoride levels are deficient.
The Food Safety Advisory Board has recently established a working group to consider the food safety implications of fluoride arising from its natural occurrence in the environment and its addition to public water supplies.
At present fluoridation is used as a public health measure in Ireland and the United Kingdom. There are plans to extend this programme to Northern Ireland in 1997. It is also used in Switzerland and Spain. Some European countries discontinued water fluoridation as a surplus of dentists began to appear. Water fluoridation was not promoted in some European countries where there was little interest in preventive dentistry.