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30 May 2006
Warwick dentist says fluoridation would benefit old and young
Dentists say water fluoridation would provide a oral health benefit for all Warwick residents vulnerable to tooth decay, including seniors as well as children and teenagers.
At a Warwick Shire Council briefing today attended by Health Minister Stephen Robertson, Warwick dentist Dr Mike Geisel said the addition of less than one part per million fluoride (0.6-0.7 ppm) would provide an ongoing benefit across the community.
Dr Geisel said Warwick dentists are fully supportive of fluoridation and believe it can safely and effectively improve oral health outcomes for all patients, including the elderly who are increasingly susceptible to tooth decay as they retain their own teeth but have difficulty cleaning them.
“I treat a lot of older people and find that the incidence of decay goes up with age. I give them a topical fluoride treatment when I see them, but water fluoridation would provide a far greater benefit,” said Dr Geisel, a member of the Warwick sub-branch of the Australian Dental Association.
“I am passionate about this issue. I believe Warwick residents should have access to water fluoridation, which has for decades safely and effectively been made available to the vast majority of Australians living interstate.”
“We have an epidemic of tooth decay in Queensland compared with other states. Warwick councillors are to be commended for talking through the issues with Queensland Health and dentists who are dealing, on a daily basis, with the consequences of non-fluoridation.”
“There is a moral obligation here which is often overlooked or dodged and it is certainly time for us to have a balanced and educated discussion that takes the emotion out of this issue and deals with the known facts and known benefits.“
“Each year, 2000 Queensland children under school age have tooth decay severe enough to require treatment under a general anaesthetic. This is an appalling situation. The risks associated with anaesthesia are far more tangible and serious than any perceived risks mentioned by the anti-fluoridationists.”
Australian Dental Association Queensland President Dr Robert McCray said government surveys show that more than two-thirds of Queenslanders support fluoridation, with a Local Government Association of Queensland survey late last year finding 73 percent of residents support it and a Queensland Health survey in November 2004 generating a similar result.
Dr McCray said cost-benefit studies show that water fluoridation returns anywhere from $6 to $20 in improved dental care for every $1 spent and is the most effective way to give everybody access to the benefits of fluoride regardless of age, income or education level.
He said water fluoridation provides a topical benefit for existing teeth and a foundation benefit for developing teeth, which has lifelong implications. Alternative fluoride supplements are expensive and require strict adherence, which is difficult for most to maintain over time.
All of the information included on this web site is accurate to the best of knowledge of the Australian Dental Association (Queensland Branch). To make the text more readable for non-scientists, ADAQ has deliberately minimised attributions and links to supporting files or scientific attachments. However these sources are readily available if required and many can be found via www.health.qld.gov.au/fluoride. |
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