§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many, and which, community health councils in England have expressed opposition to artificial fluoridation of water supplies.
§ Mr. John PattenComprehensive information on the views of Community Health Councils in England on this issue is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what statistical evidence from the United Kingdom he has about the effects on the population of artificial fluoridation of water supplies.
§ Mr. John PattenStudies carried out in the past 10 years have shown that tooth decay levels amongst children who have had life-long exposure to fluoridated water are consistently lower than among children in comparable non-fluoridated areas. For example, in 1983 a study of dental caries was carried out in five, 12 and 15-year-old continuous residents of fluoridated Môn as contrasted with the same age groups of continuous residents of non-fluoridated Arfon. At age five years the mean DMF (decayed, missing, filled index) of Môn children was 1.58 and in Arfon 3.55—a difference of 55 per cent. At age 12 years the comprative DMF values were 2.59 and 4.46 579W —a difference of 43 per cent. For those aged 15 years the comparative figures were 4.73 and 7.69—a difference of 38 per cent.