Earl Baldwin of Bewdleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 12 November (WA 34), whether they agree with the statement in WHO Technical Report Series 846: Fluorides and oral health (WHO, 1994) that "It is uncontrolled exposure to fluoride, sometimes from unsuspected sources, that is the principal health concern."
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonNo health concerns have been identified in respect of current exposures of the general population of the United Kingdom to fluoride. Concentrations in drinking water supplies are subject to a statutory maximum of 1.5 milligrams per litre. Furthermore, when the naturally-occurring fluoride concentration is supplemented by fluoridation, it is a statutory requirement to maintain the concentration in supply at 1 milligram per litre so far as is reasonably practical. Dental fluorosis, which is mentioned in the section of the World Health Organisation report quoted, is accepted as a purely cosmetic problem for which there are satisfactory dental remedies.
103WA
Earl Baldwin of Bewdleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of Conclusion 13.1.2 in WHO Technical Report Series 846: Fluorides and oral health (WHO, 1994) to the effect that "Dental public health administrators should be aware of the total fluoride exposure in the population before introducing any additional fluoride programme for caries prevention", what steps have been taken to monitor the exposure of populations subject to proposed water fluoridation schemes in the last five years.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonSchemes proposed in the last five years have been in areas with high levels of tooth decay in which naturally occurring levels of fluoride in the water supply are low and it may be assumed that the use by residents of topical applications of fluoride is also low. If artificial fluoridation were introduced to an area, the health authority would mount a publicity campaign advising people of the situations in which they no longer needed topical fluoride.