Dentists are adamant local voices won’t be drilled out, if fluoridation decisions are moved away from councils.

It comes as Local Government New Zealand recommends moving that decision to a government level, saving council resources.

But Mary Byrne of the Fluoride Action Network vehemently defends any time or money spend on the conversation.

“Well we wouldn’t have this problem if they didn’t have fluoridation.”

Byrne says the decision would undermine the choice of individuals and communities.

“Why is it that we have to think that the Ministry of Health is always right when they were wrong for 50 years about how fluoride works.”

Meanwhile, the Dental Association’s thrown its support behind Local Government New Zealand’s recommendation.

It comes after a year of legal wrangling in Hamilton and South Taranaki, with those councils fighting anti-fluoride campaigners.

Dental Association spokesman Dr Rob Beaglehole says the campaigners have been wasting resources with what he calls pseudo-science.

He says fluoride’s a no-brainer and that locals will still have a say through the district health boards.

“There is this issue about local engagement and it would be important for local communities still to have a voice.”

Dr Beaglehole says at the moment, anti-fluoride campaigners waste council resources using flawed science.

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