Moreton Bay Regional Council may stop its fluoridation of drinking water after a councillor described fluoride as ‘poisonous”.

At Tuesday’s co-ordination committee meeting, Cr James Houghton (Division 5) said the council should opt out “because we were never given the choice to opt in”.

“I’ve seen so much evidence about the (dangers of) fluoride they put in our water,” Cr Houghton said.

He won the support of his colleagues to have a report on fluoridation presented to a councillors’ workshop.

Cr David Dwyer wanted the report broadened to include other additives to the water supply.

“We don’t need to treat all the water to such a standard,” Cr Dwyer said.

After the meeting, Cr Houghton told the Times he did not want to go into detail until the matter came back to the council when he would produce “a lot of evidence” as to why water should not be fluoridated.

He said people could choose to take tablets or use fluoride in another form.

Asked why the former State Government made fluoridation mandatory if there were real health concerns, he said: “I believe they’ve been misled.”

Cr Houghton said his information had come from the public, a “naturalist” medical practitioner and the internet.

On the other hand the US Government’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention said water fluoridation was one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council said fluoride at levels for prevention of cavities had little effect on fracture risk and no clear association with cancer.

The Australian Dental Association said toxicity was related to the dose and that many substances, such as chlorine, iodine, fluoride, iron, salt and vitamins A and D, could be dangerous at  high levels, but  essential at low levels.

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