Lithgow Info

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At the Lithgow Council public meeting the Dental Officer for the Western Sydney Area Health Service threatened to withdraw funding for Dental Services if Lithgow does not accept fluoridation of our water supply.

This threat came as a response to a number of questions being asked by the public who attended the meeting. The feeling I got was that if you asked a question that was not liked, or which the Health officials could not answer, or put forward your own research you were ridiculed.

Apparently this is not the first time, according to witnesses this has also happened to Gosford and Mudgee.

The slide presentation shown in Lithgow was apparently exactly the same presentation as shown in the above towns as well, even down to the same photos and percentages. Only the names of the towns was changed according to witnesses who have attended all presentations. Is it the same presentation that is shown to all towns in NSW?

My main concern is there still has not been an answer to my question on studies/research undertaken and available on the adverse affects of fluoride on other parts of the body besides teeth.

The obvious refusal and arrogance of the Health Officials at the meeting to even consider any independent research into effects of fluoride on the body already undertaken both in Australia and Internationally.

It really makes you wonder just how "safe and effective" fluoride is going to be when added to our water supply. We were also told that it was completely safe to mix baby formula with fluoridated water and that fluoride toothpaste is not toxic and poses no harm if swallowed by children (even if they swallow a whole tube).

This seems to be in complete contradiction to the following extracts from South Australian web sites: 

Evaluation of the trade-off between fluorosis and caries with fluoride exposure indicated that the use of low concentration fluoride toothpaste and preventing and eating/licking of toothpaste habit could reduce the prevalence of fluorosis without a significant increase in caries experience. Fluoride exposure, dental fluorosis and caries among South Australian children - Loc Giang Do, PhD (Awarded in 2004) University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health Sciences, Dental School - 

Swallowing toothpaste

Swallowing toothpaste is not likely to be a medical emergency unless a whole tube is swallowed. If you are worried about this, see your doctor or ring the Poisons Information Centre. In Australia the number is 13 11 26.

Steps to prevent dental fluorosis

After the baby is one year of age it is advisable to switch to cow's milk or make up the formula with boiled rain water, boiled filtered water or boiled spring water. Use a small amount of low fluoride toothpaste especially made for children, and teach them to spit the toothpaste out. Some parents may want to use boiled rainwater, boiled filtered water or boiled spring water to make up the formula for babies under one year. Breastfeeding can help prevent fluorosis - there is very little fluoride in breast milk. Parenting and Child Health

Australian Dental Association says this:

Fluoride - Date Posted: 01/12/2001
Question: Who should use fluoride toothpaste?
Answer: Regardless of the presence or absence of water fluoridation, or the taking of fluoride supplements, everyone should be encouraged to brush their natural teeth with fluoride toothpaste.
Fluoride toothpaste tubes should carry advice that for children under the age of six years, brushing should be supervised, and only a "pea" sized smear of toothpaste should be placed on the brush. Thorough rinsing is recommended and children should be instructed not to swallow the toothpaste.

So after doing my research and quoting the above websites I was told by our Western Sydney Health that this was incorrect. Who is right, University of Adelaide - School of Dentistry, Australian Dental Association or Parenting and Child Health or Western Sydney Area Health?

Debra Morris 

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