Skip to main content

Written question asked by Cat Eccles (Labour) on Thursday, 8 May 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 May 2025. It was answered by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Thursday, 15 May 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Fluoride: Drinking Water

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of fluoridisation of water for dental health.

Answer

Water fluoridation is an evidence based, effective public health intervention for improving the oral health of children and adults. The 2022 Health Monitoring Report showed that five-year-olds were less likely to experience dental caries, and less likely to experience caries of high severity, in areas with a fluoridation scheme. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-for-england-2022

The UK Chief Medical Officer also concluded that water fluoridation is effective and should complement, not substitute, other effective methods of fluoride use. The UK Chief Medical Officer’s statement on water fluoridation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-statement-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers/statement-on-water-fluoridation-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
51073
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Drinking water Fluoride
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk