Statement from John Spottiswoode, Hampshire Against Fluoridation

Statement from John Spottiswoode, Hampshire Against Fluoridation
Dear Members of the SCSHA,
One important aspect of the public consultation on fluoridation in the SCSHA area has not received the attention it deserves and that is 'How much fluoride are residents of Hampshire consuming today, even without fluoridation?' The SHA has failed to answer this question yet the NHS's systematic review, the York Review, identified this as an important consideration in 2000.

Other authorities have also attested to the importance of this aspect, as far back as 1971, the World Health Organisation (WHO International Drinking Water Standards) warned: "In the assessment of the safety of a water supply with regard to the fluoride concentration, the total daily intake by the individual must be considered."

In 1994 a WHO Expert committee again said: "Dental and public health administrators should be aware of the total fluoride exposure in the population before introducing any additional fluoride programme."

And in its Guidelines for drinking water quality, 3rd Ed (2006) the WHO stated that "It was also emphasised that in setting national standards for fluoride, it is particularly important to consider ... volume of water intake and intake of fluoride from other sources." ( S.12.63 page 377)

No information on fluoride intake by residents of Hampshire was provided to the public during the public consultation in the South Central Strategic Health Authority area, contrary to WHO warnings. In view of this very serious omission it would seem essential for the SCSHA - even at this late stage in the process - to consider carefully the only data on fluoride intake that is available, viz the data available from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey of 2003.

This has been analysed by Dr Peter Mansfield who found that 20.2% of the adult population between 19 and 64 yrs old across all of England, Wales and Scotland is already exposed to above safe intakes of fluoride. Dr Mansfield has further found that in those areas with fluoridated drinking water, the proportion above the safe intake rises to 65% of adults. Safe intake has been set by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food (COMA) as 0.05mg F /kg body weight/ per day. Above this safe level the fluoride accumulates in the body and the bones to such an extent that by the time of retirement people can expect serious adverse health effects, even if they have avoided them successfully until that age. Dr Peter Mansfield presented this personally to us on the 31st January and since then he has also presented this at the Department of Health to the Chief Dental Officer, Dr Barry Cockcroft.

We are alerting you to this important information to avoid any misunderstanding arising from a possible future claim that people were not made aware of this most relevant omission from the consultation.

SCSHA members should also bear in mind that the government agency responsible for commissioning the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, the Food Standards Agency, has been kept fully informed of this new information and has not refuted the figures supplied by Dr Mansfield. The reference for the information published in the BMJ 'Fluoride Consumption -- Much Higher than We Are Told' is on http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/335/7622/699#177639

It would seem prudent for the SCSHA to investigate immediately why those promoting fluoridation in Hampshire have not investigated this crucially important matter. The onus is now on those proposing fluoridation in Hampshire to provide evidence that people in Hampshire are not already consuming too much fluoride. Since no evidence whatsoever has been offered that the diet of people in Hampshire differs from that in the rest of the UK, the SCSHA must reject the proposal for a twelvefold increase of fluoride in Hampshire's drinking water.

Yours sincerely,

John Spottiswoode
Hampshire Against Fluoridation