The Australian Dental Association – Queensland Branch (ADAQ) calls on the Queensland Government to mandate water fluoridation in Queensland.
Water fluoridation has been described as one of the “Ten Great Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century” (US-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), and has been widely accepted and practiced in all Australian states and territories since the 1960s and 70s.
Water fluoridation is the easiest, cheapest, most effective and safest way to provide the dental health benefits of fluoridated water to the greatest number of people. Children and adults in non-fluoridated communities suffer significantly more dental caries (tooth decay) than in fluoridated communities.
When the Water Fluoridation Act 2008 was amended in 2012, almost twenty local councils around the State acted to remove fluoride from their water supply. Despite much political debate about this, including publicly stated support for the re-introduction of mandated fluoridation from a number of Health Ministers since then, there has been no action by Government on this issue.
BENEFITS
“Community water fluoridation is a cost-effective and equitable initiative that is supported by overwhelming scientific evidence and recognised as one of the most important public health interventions.” (National Oral Health Plan 2015-24)
RECOMMENDATIONS
ADAQ calls on the Queensland Government to:
- Mandate water fluoridation in Queensland
- Make sufficient funding available to local government to ensure fluoridation of water supplies can be achieved
- Fund a local government and public education campaign through each Health & Hospital Service focused on the safety and efficacy of fluoridated water and the health benefits associated with it.
Dr Adrian Frick
ADAQ President
*Original article online at https://www.adaq.org.au/Web/Latest_News/2020/11/Pre-budget%20Fluoridation%20Submission%202019-2020.aspx
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