The British Dental Association (BDA) has responded to proposals to remove barriers to water fluoridation schemes in the UK with caution. The white paper, published on 11 February 2021, sets out plans for the funding and implementation of the schemes.
Currently, around 6 million people in the UK live in areas with fluoride in their water supply. Studies by the Oral Health Foundation (OHF) found that the population in these areas has lower rates of tooth decay than that in areas without fluoridation. Tooth extraction due to decay is the most common cause of hospital admission for children aged 5-9.
No attempt has been made to introduce new schemes since the 1980’s, and cuts to the public health grant in recent years have increased barriers. Existing health inequalities are predicted to be widened by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has prompted the government to take action.
However, the chair of the BDA, Eddie Crouch, warns that fluoridation plans must be supported by up-front investment, and include all round measures to support the dental service. He comments:
“Any commitment here can’t be at the expense of dental services and wider public health programmes, which have been badly hit by the pandemic. We need a joined-up approach to tackle deep health inequalities that now look set to widen.”
“Reforms will shape the way care is delivered, planned and regulated, areas where both patients and practitioners have been let down. Ministers say it’s time to ‘build back better’, and that logic must be applied to dentistry.”
Meanwhile, the OHF, which has campaigned for years to increase fluoride levels in the water supply, welcomes the news, which it believes will significantly reduce levels of tooth decay in children and benefit the health of the population for years to come.
If you are looking for a private dentist in Bishops Waltham, get in touch today.