Southampton Set for Fluoride Tap Water

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After a long legal challenge, Southampton is set to have fluoride added to its tap water. The decision has been fought every step of the way by many locals, lead by a local resident, Geraldine Miller. The appeals were rejected however and the plan has been given the go ahead.

The decision to put fluoride in tap water will affect around 200,000 residents in Southampton, Eastleigh, Totton, Netley and Rownhams. It was decided that fluoride would be put into the water system of the area because of its links to oral health. Fluoride is a key ingredient in toothpastes and has proved to better the dental health of citizens when it has been introduced into the water system in other places, the residents of Southampton originally appealed against the scheme because of the affect it will potentially have on the environment, but it has become more than that.

The plan was first suggested back in 2008 and the company responsible, South Central Strategic Health Authority, voted unanimously for the go ahead before residents had been given a full chance to speak out about it and continued with the plans even after initial complaints were made.

Geraldine Miller has been quoted as saying, “It’s so undemocratic. I don’t think they’ve assessed either side properly.”

As such the hearing has become more ethical and democratic than about the fluoridated water, which would only prove harmful to a person in unrealistically high quantities.

Other councils around the country have been patiently waiting the outcome of the feud before suggesting fluoridating their own water and while some residents remain disgruntled about the proceedings, the fluoride levels in Southampton are set be raised in an as of yet undisclosed number of months.

The British Dental Association supports the plan to add the chemical and the entire episode will perhaps bring about similar change in other local councils.

 

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June 24th, 2011 at 08:47 PM
Mary Sparrowdancer Says :

The Germans and Austrians knew back in the 1930s that they could block thyroid function in hyperthyroid patients by bathing the patients in water with minute amounts of fluoride. What the British might not know is that tea also has an extremely high level of fluoride in it. So, I hope that the government is going to be assessing the residents for impaired thyroid function after mindlessly medicating every man, woman and child with fluoride. You might be able to avoid drinking tap water, but most of us cannot avoid bath water.