Water Fluoridation

Thank you for contacting my office. I appreciate you getting in touch about water fluoridation.

While I note your concerns about fluoride in your water supply, fluoridation programmes in our country are common practice, and have been in place for nearly 60 years. I am aware that currently, around 5.8 million people in England already consume fluoridated water. I would like to reassure you that there have been no cases of water fluoridation causing any ill effects.

I understand that a report from Public Health England (now the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities) on improving oral health, published in 2020, found that water fluoridation significantly reduces tooth decay, especially in children. It found that, in deprived areas where water fluoridation occurs, there were 55 per cent fewer hospital admissions for tooth decay among children aged one to four.

This scheme is effective and safe, and I am reassured that there is no evidence of health harms from the levels of fluoride used in English schemes, nor the slightly higher levels allowed naturally. Further, the Government is required to monitor the effects of water fluoridation and produce reports on this every four-years, which I hope you find reassuring. The last report was published in 2018 which means that there will be a new report, which is due to be published this year.

While this is a government-supported programme, local authorities are responsible for any consultations on fluoridation schemes. You will be encouraged to know that ministers have published a toolkit for local authorities to aid them in carrying out these consultations. However, it is worth noting that the new Health and Care Bill proposes to return responsibility for the fluoridation of water in England from local authorities to central government, making it easier to expand water fluoridation schemes so that more of the population can benefit from it.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.