Echo - letters

Playing statistics game
THE current Hampshire magazine provides some interesting dentistry statistics in relation to the fluoridation argument. Apparently 67 per cent of Hampshire residents had been unhappy with NHS dental provision, dropping to 55 per cent a year later. From 2008 to 2011a £15m investment will be made in dental services, providing so far an extra 80,000 new dental places for Hampshire with a further 17 dental practices still to open. So has the state of Hampshire's teeth been due to lack of fluoride or lack of dentists, and should fluoridation be introduced, against the wishes of public and all councils except one (which shares a councillor with the PCT, trying to introduce fluoridation)? Will it then be claimed that any improvement is due to fluoridation rather than improved dental provision? The statistics game has been a well used one in the official fluoride campaign. Watch out for this one!
MISSMJ REICHLIN, Upper Enham, Andover.

Drinking water will be fit only for washing
TIME is creeping on for residents in parts of Southampton and Totton. When so-called drinking water in the taps contains added fluoride, it will be fit only for washing clothes or giving the car a good rub down.
Of course, there will be supplies of drinking water - at a cost - promoted by many commercial companies. Will residents be willing to pay for what up to now has been regarded as one of the necessities of life? Of course you
could take a Sunday drive to nearby towns and stock up with pure drinking water.
Tablets containing fluoride could be offered free of charge through local chemists and doctors' surgeries to those who are prepared to take the risk. Members of the Strategic Health Authority do not make themselves available to meet the general public, and their 'consultation' was minimal.
ALDERMAN EDITH RANDALL, Totton.