Call for fluoride renewed
A Taranaki dentist is calling for fluoride to be reintroduced to New Plymouth’s water supply after a rise in the number of youngsters needing hospital treatment for their teeth.
But critics say dental decay has not increased since fluoride was taken out of the supply in 2011.
Dr David Antunovic said ‘‘anecdotally’’ he had seen an increase in dental decay in his adult patents and in children at Taranaki Base Hospital.
‘‘The numbers of children in Taranaki requiring a general anaesthetic for tooth treatment continues to grow at an alarming rate. This has also occurred in association with the withdrawal of fluoride from our water.’’
Antunovic said reintroducing it was the only way to make any significant impact on improving the oral health of children.
Stratford district has fluoridated water as do large parts of South Taranaki.
Taranaki DHB planning funding and population health general manager Becky Jenkins said the number of hospital admissions for dental conditions in preschool children in Taranaki had increased since July 2014.
This was for the whole Taranaki population, which included fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas, Jenkins said. ‘‘In the 10-year period between 2005 and 2014, 686 children under 5 years of age in Taranaki required procedures under general anaesthesia because of extensive dental decay.’’
The estimated cost for the health board, which supports fluoridation in water supplies, was more than $2 million. For 2014, 2015 and 2016, a total of 454 Taranaki children had procedures under general anaesthesia because of extensive dental decay, Jenkins said.
Antunovic said it was difficult to get good robust data in Taranaki due to numerous confounding factors and a small (scientific) population.
Children were a very vulnerable population, especially those from low socioeconomic groups, he said.
‘‘From the ambulatory sensitive hospitalisation data for 0 to 4-year-olds there has been a significant rise in avoidable hospital admissions for young children due to dental problems and significant inequalities can be seen in the disproportionate number of Maori tamariki admitted for dental conditions.’’
Significant inequalities in oral health existed in New Zealand and community water fluoridation was the most cost-effective and safe health measure to reduce dental decay, providing benefits for everyone regardless of background, he said.
Fluoride Free NZ national co-ordinator and media spokesperson Mary Byrne said that last time the issue came up the increases in decay came from fluoridated Ha¯ wera.
‘‘Dental decay has not gone up in New Plymouth at all,’’ she said.
Local authorities decide whether there is fluoride in the water but a bill currently going through Parliament would take the decision away from councils and give it to the district health boards.
In the New Plymouth District Council’s 10-year plan, $1 million for the fluoridation of water supplies comes under projects considered but not included.
New Plymouth District Councillor Richard Handley, who is also on the Taranaki DHB, said the council didn’t put the $1,051,000 in the budget because it did not have a mandate.
People did not want it and the law had not been changed yet, he said.