Oral Health (Hansard, 4 May 1999)

§ 7. Ms Hazel Blears (Salford)
What action he is taking to improve the oral health of children and young people in inner-city areas. [81814]

§ The Minister for Public Health (Ms Tessa Jowell)
Because of the clear link between deprivation and tooth decay, we have funded health authorities in areas with some of the highest levels of dental decay to distribute toothbrushes and fluoride toothpaste to children in schools in the most deprived parts of those areas. From 1 April 1998, in addition to the general uplift in the fees that dentists receive, we increased capitation payments for children under six in deprived areas by an additional 25 per cent. We have also commissioned the Health Education Authority to produce further leaflets and information for parents and carers of very young children to complement the advice and guidance available from health visitors. We have also arranged for the translation into Asian languages, of leaflets about caring for very young children's teeth because some children in Asian communities are especially vulnerable to tooth decay.

§ Ms Blears
I thank my right hon. Friend for that extensive reply. Is she aware of our innovative project in Salford, where we have just launched a mobile dental surgery, funded in part by the Humphrey Booth charity and run by the general dental service? The mobile surgery goes to primary schools—so the children have no escape from the dentist—and is proving to be surprisingly popular. It also provides a drop-in centre for dental services for young homeless people. That project was funded under the Government's investing in dentistry strategy. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that other, similarly innovative projects will be supported in our poorest communities?

§ Ms Jowell
The answer is yes. The project described by my hon. Friend is extremely worthwhile. It goes some way towards explaining why the dental health of Salford's five-year-olds has improved so much since 1995. I congratulate all those involved with that excellent initiative, which we shall examine to see whether it can be applied in other parts of the country to tackle the tooth decay experienced by very young children in some of our most deprived areas.

§ Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby)
The Minister will know that some people who want to improve oral hygiene advocate the mass fluoridation of the water supply.

§ Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West)
Shocking.

§ Mr. Robathan
Some constituents have written to me to express their great anxiety about that. I share that anxiety, and have sought advice on the matter. Although I have come across some evidence and opinion that mass fluoridation is useful, other evidence suggests that it may have long-term adverse affects on the human skeleton. Will the Minister reassure the House that, before this poison is artificially introduced into the water supply, it will have been established beyond doubt that there will be absolutely no long-term harmful effects on people who, like those in the west midlands, are forced to drink fluoridated water?

§ Ms Jowell
In the last few seconds, the House has seen the strong feelings aroused by the debate about putting 692 fluoride in water. I remind the House that the legislation permitting the fluoridation of water was passed under the previous Conservative Government.
The public health Green Paper involved wide consultation on attitudes to fluoridation, and the White Paper to be published shortly will set out our response to that consultation.