Campaigners Claim That Plans to Expand Water Fluoridation will Make People Ill
They highlighted 76 studies indicating that increased fluoride intake may lead to lower IQ in infants and children, as well as thyroid and bone issues in later life.
The suggestion to introduce the fluoride compound to an additional 1.6 million households is currently under public consultation, as announced by the Department of Health on March 25. Approximately half of the northeast region already has access to fluoridated water, including sections of County Durham, Gateshead, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Health authorities uphold that fluoridation, when administered at appropriate levels, is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay. The Health and Care Act of 2022 has shifted the responsibility of implementing water fluoridation schemes from local councils to central government.
According to Professor Peter Kelly, the regional public health director for the northeast, the issue of tooth decay remains prevalent, especially in disadvantaged areas and among children.
Joy Warren from the FFA expressed opposition to water fluoridation by UK water companies, which commenced in 1964 without public consultation, as evidence indicates an exacerbation of health inequalities rather than an alleviation.
