§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about the proportion of five-year-olds who are free of dental caries in South West Avon, West Sussex, South West Thames and other areas of the United Kingdom not yet benefiting from artificially fluoridated drinking water supplies.
§ Mrs. CurrieInformation about the proportion of five year olds free from dental caries in those areas cited by my hon. Friend is not readily available.
Studies which have been carried out contrasting comparable fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas however have consistently shown that the reduction in dental decay is between one third to one half greater in the fluoridated areas than in the comparable non-fluoridated areas.