Echo Letter Fluoridated water should not be used for baby milk

Fluoridated water should not be used for baby milk
I AGREE with Ralph Frost (Letters, March 23), saying that people who don't want fluoride added to their tap water should bill the Strategic Health Authority for the cost of buying bottled water.
This is essential for another group. The American Dental Association states that fluoridated water should NOT be used to make up babies' bottle feeds. They advise parents to buy bottled water with a no/low fluoride content for feeds. In February 2007 the British Fluoridation Society (who promote fluoridation) issued similar advice. Children can receive too much fluoride which can interfere with the formation of enamel on teeth - dental fluorosis. This causes unsightly permanent tooth mottling, which has led to some children needing unpleasant dental work on front teeth, such as veneers. The advice is now that no fluoride should be given to infants under a year old. Jug filters won't remove fluoride - this needs a costly plumbed-in reverse osmosis unit or distillation machine. Many parents could not afford bottled water to make up baby feeds, so the SHA should pay for bottled water if they press ahead with this ill-considered idea.
This is only the start of the problems that will arise for other people, such as those with allergies, other medical conditions and those who just don't want fluoride. But I doubt the authorities will give in on this.
A. WILLS,