A review of water fluoridation implementation strategy in England 2002\u20132005

V Wordley,R Bedi

doi:10.1186/s12903-020-01102-w

Abstract

Before 2002, there had been a long-term stalemate between private water companies and District Health Authorities across England. Between 2002 and 2005 the team in the Office of the Chief Dental Officer used leadership and advocacy skills to overcome political barriers, introducing the Water Act 2003 and a Statutory Instrument in 2005 providing indemnity for water companies. This legislation was key in removing obstacles towards the expansion water fluoridation across England.

Highlights

The academic basis for water fluoridation Concerns regarding the safety of water fluoridation have been investigated by several national and international commissions [7,8,9]
Inequalities persist throughout the country, with nearly a quarter of five-year-olds suffering from dental caries [5]
The body of work reviewed in the York Review was small and outdated with few studies following individuals longitudinally [11]

Summary

Background

Water fluoridation has been described as one of the top ten most important public health attainments of the twentieth century [1], with the World Health Organization recommending water fluoridation wherever it is politically and technically feasible [2]. Water fluoridation has been shown to reduce dental caries by up to 35% in deciduous teeth, sparing young children from toothache [3]. It is a means of eliminating oral health inequalities: there is an increased likelihood of experiencing dental caries in primary teeth in the lowest social group compared to the highest [4]. This paper will outline how the team in the Office of the Chief Dental Officer tried to overcome these and other political barriers to introduce the Water Act 2003 and a Statutory Instrument providing indemnity for water companies in 2005, legislation which significantly removed hurdles towards expanding water fluoridation across England

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Discussion

Conclusion