Abstract
The 2022 Health and Care Act marked a turning point for water fluoridation in England. Among the contributions leading to this change was the 2021 paper ‘When evidence alone is not enough: the problem, policy and politics of water fluoridation in England,1 which argued convincingly that progress required political as well as scientific engagement. The authors, notably from political science backgrounds, challenged the idea that good evidence alone could carry the day.
This ‘two-barrel’ framing – evidence and politics – is useful. Yet, just as earlier efforts risked relying too narrowly on science, we may now be underinvesting in the very evidence base that underpins water fluoridation as a public health measure. Many with long-standing expertise have retired or moved on. Institutional memory is fading. Academic interest has shifted.
The British Fluoridation Society is working to support a revival of this evidence infrastructure. Ensuring that clear, accessible, high-quality resources remain available to the wider community – practitioners, planners, advocates – will be crucial. Quiet efforts are underway, and there is space for more hands and minds. Email info@bfsweb.org.
References
Lowery G, Flinders M, Gibson B. When evidence alone is not enough: the problem, policy and politics of water fluoridation in England. Evidence & Policy 2021; DOI: 10.1332/174426420X16079614941921.
[Note: This paper is available at Research Gate,]