When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
9:57am Tuesday 10th March 2009 in
THE controversial decision to fluoridate Southampton’s water has finally received glowing praise – from a national association of dentists and doctors.
South Central Strategic Health Authority’s (SHA) move to give the scheme the green light has been met with angry criticism from campaigners and many residents, who say local people’s wishes were ignored.
Scores say they will refuse to pay their water bills if their supplies are fluoridated.
It comes after 72 per cent of people living in the affected area who responded to the consultation opposed the plans.
Others are vowing to lodge a legal challenge against the decision, affecting nearly 200,000 Hampshire residents, while attempts are also being made to urge the European Union to step in.
Several MPs have expressed their horror that fluoridation is to proceed, while one is attempting to have the SHA censured for its “biased” handling of the public consultation.
But the National Alliance for Equity in Dental Health says the authority should be applauded for “not allowing itself to be blown off course by the strident voices of those who shouted loudest”.
The alliance is comprised of more than 60 health organisations, including the British Medical Association, the Royal Colleges of General Practitioners and Nursing, and the British Dental Association.
Big impact They believe fluoridation will have a bigger impact on dental health in the city than any other measure could possibly achieve, and is hoping it will now be introduced elsewhere in the country.
Professor Richard Parish, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, praised the SHA and Southampton City Primary Care Trust for their “careful and painstaking evaluation of the evidence”.
“Past experience of fluoridation consultations elsewhere has shown that opponents often raise objections which have little foundation in fact,” he said.
“Independent analysis of the claims they made during the Southampton consultation showed them to be similarly seriously flawed.”
Comments(19)
killer
says...
11:37am Tue 10 Mar 09
Huffybear
says...
12:42pm Tue 10 Mar 09
anomalon
says...
12:48pm Tue 10 Mar 09
Logres
says...
1:28pm Tue 10 Mar 09
stuartjebbitt
says...
1:45pm Tue 10 Mar 09
jjay59
says...
1:55pm Tue 10 Mar 09
Nai Sorc
says...
2:38pm Tue 10 Mar 09
Jim Schultz
says...
3:11pm Tue 10 Mar 09
wellow werdna
says...
3:46pm Tue 10 Mar 09
Nai Sorc wrote:Hear, hear Nai, give us some news items with a bit of bite to them, ones that will really enamel us to get our teeth stuck in.
For or against, I think both sides have had enough of a say, I for one am fed up to the back teeth with flouride.
Jim Schultz
says...
3:58pm Tue 10 Mar 09
goard
says...
5:06pm Tue 10 Mar 09
illusion9
says...
9:14pm Tue 10 Mar 09
illusion9
says...
9:16pm Tue 10 Mar 09
Rob444
says...
9:36pm Tue 10 Mar 09
killer wrote:It sure is!
thats fascist state
watchdog
says...
11:12pm Tue 10 Mar 09
anomalon wrote:LOL nice one i think that they should add food as well that would save on our shopping bills
It's great to know I'll no longer have to clean my teeth. My dental health is now the responsibility of the government, nothing is my fault. When are they going to add vitamins and minerals to the water so I can stop eating all that pesky fruit and veg?
illusion9
says...
1:02pm Wed 11 Mar 09
Doug at UKCAF
says...
3:12pm Wed 11 Mar 09
Jim Schultz
says...
3:29pm Wed 11 Mar 09
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Search for jobs with the Daily Echo
Search Now »
Find the right person for you with the Daily Echo
Search Now »
Search for homes with the Daily Echo
Search Now »
Search for cars with the Daily Echo
Search Now »
killer says...
11:34am Tue 10 Mar 09