Fluoride in water protects teeth: dental society

Many studies prove that fluoride in drinking water protects people’s teeth from cavities, the head of the New Brunswick Dental Society says.

Dr. Kent Orlando, society president, said his organization is not prepared to do its own study on whether the people of Moncton will suffer from city council's decision to get rid of fluoride in the drinking water.

The society doesn’t have the resources to do such a complex study, he said Tuesday.

"We don't have a science team or we don't have a researcher or an analyst to do that type of research," Orlando said.

"It's the sort of research that's difficult to conduct and it would take several years to really determine what the outcome might be."

But, Orlando said, studies have already been done and have proven that fluoride protects people's teeth from cavities.

The city of Moncton can also look at communities such as Dorval, Que., and Dryden, Ont., he said, where cavities went up after fluoride was taken out of the water

"There are actually areas in the world where they are adding water fluoridation back to their programs. I know Muskoka region outside of Toronto, they have done that and there are a couple of regions in Europe as well," Orlando said.

Dr. Yves Leger, the medical officer of health for the Moncton area, said people will get more cavities if fluoride is removed from the city’s water supply.

"I was very discouraged by the decision that was made by council," he said. "The rates of dental cavities will increase."

Leger said opponents of fluoridation can point to some communities such as Calgary and Waterloo which took fluoride out of the water this year.

However, he said that Toronto, Peel and London, Ont., have all decided that keeping fluoride was good public health policy.

City councillors voted 7 to 4 Monday night to stop the practice of adding fluoride to the city’s tap water. The city will begin phasing out fluoride immediately.