WHEN I was a medical student, I knew that I wanted to relieve suffering, to treat disease and improve people’s lives. As a doctor, I realised that it is better to try to prevent suffering and prevent disease from occurring and that it is possible to influence whole communities.
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Children suffer with dental decay. There is the pain and discomfort of the tooth problem and despite the caring attention of dentists and dental therapists, there is the discomfort of treatment. Tooth decay is preventable and one of the most important preventive measures is fluoridation.
Fluoridation is an amazing public health intervention. It has been listed in the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century by the American Centers for Disease Control and is supported by a wide range of medical and dental bodies, including the Australian Medical Association and the Australian Dental Association.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring element that is found in almost all water sources. Water fluoridation simply adjusts the amount of fluoride in a drinking water supply to a level where it provides dental health benefits for the whole community. Fluoride at the recommended levels has been shown to be safe and a recent review by the National Health and Medical Research Council has confirmed this.
In this age of fake news and alternative truths, the simple fact remains that water fluoridation is safe and the most cost-effective and equitable means of preventing the suffering of tooth decay in children. I recommend that the Oberon community support it.
