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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-08 Daily Xml
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WATER FLUORIDATION

In reply to the Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14 September 2010).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling): The Minister for Health is advised:

1. Fluoride and drinking water fluoridation safety and efficacy has been the subject of extensive research. This research has been reviewed by agencies including the peak health agency of Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Following its most recent review published in 2007, the NHMRC concluded that fluoridation is the most effective and socially equitable means of preventing dental caries in the population and recommended that drinking water be fluoridated. The Australian Health Ministers' Conference and the Australian Dental Association have also endorsed fluoridation.

Based on the evidence, other organisations have reached the same conclusions, including the World Health Organization and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

A summary of this research was provided to residents in a fact sheet from SA Health in 2009. More detailed information has been provided on request.

2. SA Health has received information from a limited number of correspondents, including one dental health professional. SA Health maintains a watching brief on publications dealing with drinking water fluoridation and had previously considered the information provided by these correspondents.

3. Drinking water fluoridation was discussed at a 2005 public meeting in Mount Gambier as part of consultation on the State Oral Health Plan. This discussion was not an isolated event and proposals to fluoridate the Mount Gambier water supply have been raised on a number of occasions in recent years and reported publicly in local media. SA Health has offered to meet with the Mount Gambier Council to discuss the introduction of fluoridation however, this was declined. The plan to introduce fluoridation was communicated to all households by a letter from SA Health and SA Water, supported by Fact Sheets.

4. The issue of tours of drinking water facilities are a matter for SA Water.

5. Residents were advised of the decision to fluoridate the Mount Gambier water supply in 2009.

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