Written question asked by Nicholas Winterton (Conservative) on Monday, 7 July 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 July 2008. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 July 2008 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Fluoride

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has evaluated research carried out in other European Union member states on the fluoridation of public water supplies in the last three years.

Answer: The Department has evaluated the report 'Assessing The Impact Of Exposure To Fluoride In Water On The Oral Health Of 16 Year Olds In A Border Region Of Ireland', published by Queen's University Belfast in March 2007. It showed that 31 per cent. of 16-year-old residents of fluoridated areas in the Republic of Ireland had no obvious tooth decay experience compared with 22 per cent. in Northern Ireland, where there are no fluoridation schemes.

Secondary information