Billy Timmins
Question:188. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding fluoridation of the water supply here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13331/13]
View answerWednesday, 13 March 2013
Questions (188)
Written answers
Surveys on children’s and adults’ oral health have been conducted on a regular basis to measure the effectiveness of water fluoridation. These include national studies in 1984, 1990, 2001 and 2002, regional studies between 1990 and 1999 and a cross border study in 2006. All of these studies showed a substantial benefit of fluoridation in terms of a reduction in tooth decay. The Health Research Board has recently approved funding for a study to be led by the Oral Health Services Research Centre of University College Cork. The Department of Health is a collaborator in the study. The study will consider the impact of changes on the oral health of children, following policy decisions relating to fluoride toothpaste use for infants and young children in 2002 and the reduced level of fluoridation in drinking water since 2007.
The Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health, which was established in 2004, monitors new and emerging issues on fluoride and its effects on health and related matters. The Expert Body provides advice and information on all aspects of water fluoridation. In evaluating ongoing research, the Expert Body accepts the fundamental scientific tenet that any single piece of scientific evidence by itself remains hypothetical unless it can be repeated or confirmed by other scientists. Therefore, it considers scientific evidence that has been submitted to examination by other scientists, usually by publication in recognised peer reviewed scientific journals, after such publication has been approved by independent referees. This ensures that the advice provided by the Expert Body is impartial and evidence-based. The Expert Body is satisfied that water fluoridation, at its optimal level, causes no ill effects to the health of adults or children. The effects of fluoridation on health and related matters are kept under constant review.