Malaysian government approves fluoride plan
The Malaysian government has approved plans for a fluoride scheme in the Sabah region of the country.
The fluoridation scheme has been approved following a survey, which revealed that the state of Sabah has the worst standards of oral health amongst children in the country. According to the Deputy Health Minister, Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, said that a 2009 survey had revealed that half of children aged twelve had cavities on their permanent teeth; on average, each child had three affected teeth.
Following the alarming results of the survey, government ministers agreed to go ahead with water fluoridation as a means of reducing rates of decay, especially amongst children. Fluoride is a mineral that helps to strengthen the teeth and make them more resistant to decay; fluoride is used in countries across the world and is approved by dentists and dental organisations. Some studies suggest that fluoride can reduce rates of decay by a third.
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