WATER FLUORIDATION

That this House notes the unacceptably high inequalities in the dental health of children, with the average five year old in one of the worst districts for dental health having five times as much tooth decay as the average child in the best district; notes that the worst districts are those where social deprivation is high and the natural level of fluoride in water is low,but that topping up of the natural level of fluoride in water in such areas has been shown to reduce the impact of social deprivation on dental health and to give significant protection against tooth decay; believes that the present situation which effectively gives private water companies a veto over fluoridation is unacceptable; and concludes that as decisions about whether or not to flouridate water are a public health issue, they should rest with local health authorities in consultation with the communities they serve.