Fluoridation

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 12

Fluoridation

Sir, — Congratulations to those city councillors who voted against the fluoridation of the city’s water supply. Cr Garrett’s comments regarding a referendum and the “average citizen,” seem to imply that she and others of like opinion are of a superior intelligence to those of us who doubt, with good reason, that fluoride is harmless. Expert opinion is not unanimous and so doubts must remain. Better that children suffer a little temporary discomfort in a dentist’s chair than that the entire population be exposed to the risk of other irreparable physical damage. The most telling point of all, however, and it has nothing to do with emotion, prejudice, hearsay or levels of intelligence is the freedom to make one’s own choice. Guarding and retaining this, rather than putting Christchurch “out-of-date” puts it well ahead of those towns and cities that have apathetically allowed this erosion of their democratic right. — Yours, etc., S. M. WELLS. July 17, 1979. Sir, — I wonder how many anti-fluoridation supporters remember the dramatic, almost visible, effects on goitre sufferers after the addition of iodine to common salt? My own family was particularly affected, especially the women. May I assure your correspondent, C. J. Buchan, (July 18), that his wellmeant recipes to counteract “imbalance” do not equate with reality. I never saw such a galaxy of dentures as my pioneer forbears wore. They breakfasted daily on “coarsely ground oatmeal,” with a basic diet of such wholesome items as fresh dairy products and farmfresh vegetables and meat. Of my own children, the youngest only was lucky to be born in the “fluoridetablet” era. His freedom from dental caries, compared with his older siblings is a cause for thankfulness. I speak from experience! — not theory. — Yours, etc., LORNA ANKER. July 18, 1979. [This correspondence is now closed. — Editor.]