Health monitoring report confirms water fluoridation can help “level up” oral health
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 22nd March 2022
The Association of Dental Groups has welcomed the publication of the Water Fluoridation: Health Monitoring Report by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, the successor to Public Health England. The monitoring report is required by law every four years to report to the Secretary of State for Health on the effects of water fluoridation schemes on population health.
The report has confirmed again that evidence that water fluoridation, at levels recommended in the UK is a safe and effective public health measure to reduce dental decay and inequalities in dental health.
Amongst the report’s most stark findings was that up to 56% of hospital admissions for the removal of decayed teeth among children and young people could be prevented in the most deprived areas of England through water fluoridation schemes.
Neil Carmichael, Chair of the Association of Dental Groups, added: “It is widely accepted that water fluoridation is the most effective measure that can be taken to prevent dental disease, but only a tenth of England has access to fluoridated water. We welcome this monitoring report on water fluoridation as confirmation that further expansion of schemes will help “level up” the country’s oral health and we will support the Government in its plans to expand schemes.
“Whilst water fluoridation holds out hope for future generations, it will not solve the immediate crisis in access to NHS dentistry and pain being suffered by patients waiting for care in many of the same deprived parts of England. This will only be resolved by urgently recruiting more dentists from home and abroad and reforming the broken NHS contract.”
The water fluoridation health monitoring report for England 2022 was published on 21 March here.
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