Fluoridation

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 18

Fluoridation

Sir, — As an American visiting your beautiful country and drinking the beautiful water here in Christchurch, I was appalled listening to the discussion on the radio and learning that the Government wants' to put fluoride in this lovely water. What a travesty. In America many cities had the? water fluoridated but now there are more and more .cities doing away with this as they are finding side effects, including cancer, no matter what your doctors say. New Zealanders should hang on to the good they, have and if they wish they can give their children tablets. They .should get back to good plain food, with less sugar, sweets, etc. I still have my own teeth and I am 69. All my family have their own. My son,aged 43, has only two fillings and my daughters, aged . 39 and 36, have five fillings between them. They were never given very many sweets, but good plain food and fruit. — Yours, etc., ELLIE Illinois, U.S.A. August 28, 1980. A.. Sir,.— From your editorial today on fluoridation it is- clear ? that you ? accept

without- further investigation the opinions of the profluoridation “authorities,” possibly because they come from reputable establishment universities, government departments, etc. But have you considered the possibility of vested interest in this fluoride promotion? With the profits to be made from the mass sale of this waste product, “reputable authorities” can be bought and sold many times. You may remember the two highly respected American doctors who were hired by a tobacco company to promote, “a pack a day keeps lung cancer at bay”.- I would feel more at ease if the proposal were to use the safe, naturally occurring calcium fluoride, which is proven essential for tooth formation, not the highly toxic and corrosive sodium fluorophosphate, which the multinational chemical industries have been trying to get rid of for years..— Yours, etc.,, L. A. HUNT. August 29, 1980. Sir, — In the fluoridation argument anything in favour of it is regarded as “informed opinion” and those in opposition to it regarded as the ignorant multitude to be corrected by those who “know better”. If the profluoride supporters can prove that fluoridating my bathwater, and toilet flush water will improve my grandchildren’s teeth 9 I would be in favour of it but I cannot imagine a more stupid way of applying it to children’s teeth than putting it in granddad’s bath. Might as well expect that it would improve Tiwai Point aluminium if put into Lake Manapouri. What stupidity. —- Yours, etc., D. McMAHON. August 28,1980.

Sir, —- On this morning’s programme on 3ZB fluoridation of Christchurch water was discussed once more, this time by our mayor, a city councillor, the Mayor of Auckland, and a dentist. The score was three against. one, the one being the ' dentist. The Mayor of Auckland gave his strong, convincing opinion against what he called forcing citizens to drink polluted, water and through their rates having to pay for it as well. The dentist, obviously outnumbered, said agitatedly to the Mayor of Auckland: “Your ideas are as old as your age.” — Yours, etc.,

E. WEBSTER. August 28, 1980.