Written question asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative) on Monday, 24 March 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 April 2025. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Thursday, 3 April 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Water Supply: Fluoride

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks of water fluoridation in causing cancer.

Answer: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has a duty to monitor the effects of water fluoridation schemes on health, and to publish reports at intervals no greater than four years. Health monitoring reports published in 2014, 2018, and 2022, taken alongside the existing wider research, show that there is no convincing evidence for adverse outcomes, including for bladder cancer or osteosarcoma, due to fluoridation schemes. These findings are consistent that water fluoridation, at levels recommended in the United Kingdom, is a safe and effective public health measure to reduce dental cavities. The next health monitoring report will be published in 2026.

Secondary information