We created a handy fluoride leaflet for the New Plymouth by-election debate that was on last night.
Here is a link to the A5 leaflet pdf, which you are free to print out and share. Ask for permission if you want to edit it.
Edit:
Already allegations from the anti-fluoride members that this was paid for. This was not paid by anyone and was mostly my work in the free time I had.
Photo by: Andy Jackson/Fairfax NZ
Community Water Fluoridation
Where do the New Plymouth Council candidates stand?
In Favour | Opposed |
| Reuben Doyle | Bev Gibson |
| Peter Barker | Teresa Goodin |
| Roy Weaver | Rusty Kane |
| Neil Holdom | Phil Quinney |
| Harry Duynhoven | Chris Manukonga |
| Morris West | |
| Chris Wilkes | |
| Mary Barnard |
Why fluoridation?
Dental decay is the single most common chronic (and irreversible) disease among New Zealanders of all ages and oral health disparities exist in New Zealand. This means pain, infection, bad breath and foul tastes, impaired chewing ability, tooth loss, compromised appearance, decreased quality of life, personal financial costs as well as indirect costs to society.
Fluoride is not a silver bullet but is an important part of reducing caries. Water fluoridation at levels used in New Zealand reduces the prevalence and severity of tooth decay.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring trace element found in the air, soil, water, seawater, plants and many foods. In NZ, it occurs naturally in all water supplies, but at a level that is too low to protect against tooth decay. Adjusting the water fluoride level to 0.7-1.0 parts per million provides protection from tooth decay.
Community Water fluoridation (CWF) levels is:
- Safe –with no adverse health effects. It was used for 40 years in New Plymouth.
- Natural – once added to water it’s exactly the same as naturally occurring fluoride. The sea contains nearly twice as much fluoride than CWF.
- Effective – up to 40% less tooth decay!
- Cost-effective – benefits of reduced dental treatments far outweigh the costs. Dental treatment is 30x more expensive than CWF.
- Fair – It protects the vulnerable, reducing inequalities and helps the whole community.
The Royal Society NZ Fluoridation Review suggested removing CWF would have direct and indirect costs to society.
“Tooth decay is responsible for significant health loss (lost years of healthy life) in New Zealand. The ‘burden’ of the disease – its ‘cost’ in terms of lost years of healthy life – is equivalent to 3/4 that of prostate cancer, and 2/5 that of breast cancer in New Zealand. Tooth decay thus has substantial direct and indirect costs to society.”
For more info visit:
The National Fluoridation Information Service: http://nfis.org.nz
The Royal Review on fluoridation: http://goo.gl/6x2Ta4
Fluoride facts: http://fluoridefacts.govt.nz
Ministry of Health: http://goo.gl/iwik1I
“Dental decay is the single most common chronic (and irreversible) disease among New Zealanders of all ages and oral health disparities exist in New Zealand.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10816556
Pre-European New Zealanders apparently had good teeth. Very little decay. Was there any discussion of the politics of that?
Actually there was debate around this article and this was just an opinion piece. I can’t remember if we wrote anything about this piece though, we were going to. Seafood has high levels of fluoride which they ate.
Either way I doubt people would want to go eat traditional maori meals 24/7.
Tooth decay is a hygiene issue. Don’t confuse it with the pro-fluoride propoganda. Look on you tube for the video “Fluoride in New Zealand interview Dr John Colquhoun 1998″. The research in NZ has already been done!
See also: 1.”Fluoride Deception” by Christopher Bryson ; 2.”The Case against Fluoride: How Hazardous Waste Ended Up in Our Drinking Water and the Bad Science and Powerful Politics That Keep It There” By Paul Connett, James Beck, Spedding Micklem ; 3.”The Greatest Fraud Fluoridation” by Philip RN Sutton, 1996, ISBN 0949491128.
To quote Chistopher Bryson “Fuoride science is corporate science, it’s DDT science, it’s asbestos science, it’s tobacco science, it’s a racket!”
“Tooth decay is a hygiene issue.”
A number of things cause tooth decay and we at MSoF don’t disagree with this. But the evidence is clear that fluoridation helps either way
“interview Dr John Colquhoun 1998”
He died in 1999, I doubt he would be able to keep up with the latest research.
Plus there is this which debunked a lot of his misinfomation: http://www.dentalwatch.org/fl/newbrun.html
“To quote Chistopher Bryson”
Who isn’t a scientist. I suggest using respected health organisations instead, like the ones we list above. Instead of people who twist the facts and scaremonger.