§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in which regional health authority areas there has been a reduction in the proportion of children suffering from dental caries over the past five years; and which of these areas officially has fluoridated drinking water.
§ Mr. FreemanSurveys of dental caries levels in children were carried out in England in 1983 and in 1985–86. The results, given in the table1, showed that there was little change between 1983 and 1985–86. In none of the regions is drinking water wholly fluoridated.
Recent studies have shown that fluoridation of water has continued to produce important benefits in those areas where schemes operate over and above the general decline in caries over the last 15 years.
1 Downer MC "Time trends in dental decay in young children" Health Trends 1989; 21: 7–9.
Table: Dental caries experience of 5-year-old children in England Survey region(s) 1983 decayed and fill-ed primary teeth 1985–86 decayed and fill-ed primary teeth Northern 1.3 1.6 Yorkshire Mersey 2.1 2.1 North Western West Midlands 1.9 1.6 Trent 1.5 1.6 East Anglia South Western 1.2 1.4 Wessex Oxford North East Thames 1.7 1.1 North West Thames South East Thames 1.4 1.1 South West Thames England 1.6 1.5