§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what is his estimate of the annual cost of fluoridation of the water supply for a population the size of the London Borough of Brent and of the total saving on the cost of dental treatment in such an area in the year 1979.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe cost of fluoridation varies considerably from area to area according to the nature of the water supply arrangements. The greater the supply of water from a particular source, the cheaper per head fluoridation will be.
If the reductions in caries that have been experienced in Watford were repeated in such a community as Brent there would, after 11 years of fluoridation, be a total reduction of about 21,000 fillings needed each year in the temporary teeth of children up to the age of seven and in the permanent teeth of children up to the age of ten, which at present rates would cost about £20,000 a year if carried out under the General Dental Service. There would also be some reductions in the numbers of fillings needed in the temporary teeth of children over the age of seven and in the permanent teeth of children over the age of ten.