Winnipeg Health Officials Warn Against Fluoride Ban
Health officials in Winnipeg have criticised decisions to stop adding fluoride to water supplies in communities in Manitoba.
A number of communities in the north of the region have voted in favour of banning fluoride from water supplies, but health officials claim that the decision will do more harm than good in the long-run, as fluoride helps to reduce rates of decay.
Health officials warned members of the public to vote in favour of keeping fluoridation, however, their advice was ignored. Fluoridation is a contentious issue because some people believe it has harmful implications for general health. However, studies have shown that rates of decay are lower in areas where the water supplies are fluoridated and the use of fluoride is supported by the World Health Organisation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA and Health Canada.
Votes have been taking place in towns and cities across Canada and the USA and there have been mixed results, with some having voted in favour of keeping or adding fluoride, while others have voted to ban fluoride. Most dentists support the use of fluoride and are worried that people may be voting because they have heard that fluoride can harm health, a claim which they do not support.
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