Fluoride it's a case of here we go again

Fluoride in water supplies is one topic which has bored me to tears over many years. So why am I writing an editorial on it, you may ask.

Because it has reared its ugly head again, this time in Hamilton where a tribunal has voted to remove fluoride from the city's reticulated water supply.

The pro-fluoride lobby used to rely heavily on the child tooth decay issue to support popping fluoride into our water and in Wairarapa one of those who was most vocal - at least when I spoke with him - was our town doctor, Doug Banks of Greytown.

Doug, bless his memory, tackled the then Greytown Borough Council over fluoride many times and was in favour of it in the interests of child health. I think by and large his pleas for Greytown to fluoridate fell on deaf ears.

On the other side, the anti-fluoride lobby has badgered myself and many other journalists for decades, pointing out the multiple health problems fluoride in water can apparently cause.

The Hamilton decision has seemingly relied on at least some of the anti-lobby's assertions to arrive at its findings.

Quite frankly I don't know what to think. Fluoride is in most toothpastes and I have been told that is one reason why we don't need it in water as well.

Sounds feasible, providing parents are diligent about their children's dental care - and there's a question mark over that, judging by some of the truly awful dental decay photographs I have seen in the course of my work.

An argument could even be mounted to say it doesn't matter how much fluoride, or toothpaste, kids use - if they are allowed to pig out on sweets, carbonated drinks and other gut rot they will end up with rotten teeth and bad health.

For rural dwellers, the whole issue of fluoride in the water is totally irrelevant as block holders are masters of their own destiny when it comes to water and sewage.

The fluoride argument aside, it seems to me that whenever possible it pays not to meddle with nature and little seems to be gained by additives to food or drink that are not considered absolutely essential.

But whether fluoride falls into that category, don't ask me.