❓ Mr. Norberger asks about a report on children's dental health outcomes. The Minister for Health responds, highlighting the benefits of water fluoridation based on a study comparing fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas, noting significantly better dental health outcomes in fluoridated areas.
AnsweredQoN 671Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DENTAL
HEALTH — FLUORIDATED WATER
671. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Health:
I understand a report was recently
released regarding dental health outcomes for children. Can the minister please
update the house on the report's findings?
HEALTH — FLUORIDATED WATER
671. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Health:
I understand a report was recently
released regarding dental health outcomes for children. Can the minister please
update the house on the report's findings?
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Not at all; it is very much in the public interest. We have the
same interest in common.
I was very pleased that the
Department of Health released a report today based on a study undertaken of the
dental examinations of 11 000 children, comparing the dental health outcomes of
those in the south west part of the state—in the Bunbury, Busselton and
Margaret River areas, where the water is not artificially fluoridated—with
those of children in the same age group in the Perth metropolitan area, where
water has been fluoridated since early 1968. It is not surprising that the
results of that report clearly indicate that those in the non‑fluoridated
area have poorer dental health outcomes and a lower percentage of caries-free
children, in particular. The statistics indicate that, in short, children in
areas with non-fluoridated water have about a 50 per cent higher incidence of
having one or more decayed or missing deciduous teeth, and about a 60 per cent
higher likelihood of having one or more either decayed or missing permanent
teeth. That significant difference brings home the benefits of the fluoridation
of water supplies. Fluoridation has now been in place in most of Western Australia
for almost 50 years.
Ms
M.M. Quirk : Listening to this answer is like having a root canal!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : There is actually quite a lot of interest in this issue, Mr
Speaker. The member for Girrawheen and most members in here at the moment would
probably not be aware of the very poor dental health conditions that existed in
children and adults in Western Australia until the mid-1960s.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : That is enough!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : That led to a substantial movement from the dental profession,
the Australian Dental Association —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : — and the dental school at the University of Western Australia
to introduce fluoridation of water supplies into the state. It is to the credit
of this Parliament and the then coalition government that the legislation was
introduced. There was opposition to it, but the then government pushed ahead
and more than 92 per cent of the Western Australian community now receive
fluoridated water. I know there are some sceptics. Some people either doubt the
benefits or still argue the case that fluoridation is harmful in some respects.
Several members interjected.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : In fact, I think there are a couple of sceptics in this chamber, and
I am not looking at the opposition.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : But I make members aware of the fact that no reputable
scientific information indicates that there are any harmful effects from the
fluoridation of water supplies at the level at which it is applied for the
prevention of dental disease. Another report released today by the National
Health and Medical Research Council also indicates as much. It is pleasing that
fluoridation has recently been introduced to Moora, Port Denison and Dongara,
and arrangements are in place to introduce it in Hedland, Newman, Kununurra and
Yanchep before the end of next year. Regarding any other further changes,
advice will be provided by the relevant fluoridation advisory committee.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Not at all; it is very much in the public interest. We have the
same interest in common.
I was very pleased that the
Department of Health released a report today based on a study undertaken of the
dental examinations of 11 000 children, comparing the dental health outcomes of
those in the south west part of the state—in the Bunbury, Busselton and
Margaret River areas, where the water is not artificially fluoridated—with
those of children in the same age group in the Perth metropolitan area, where
water has been fluoridated since early 1968. It is not surprising that the
results of that report clearly indicate that those in the non‑fluoridated
area have poorer dental health outcomes and a lower percentage of caries-free
children, in particular. The statistics indicate that, in short, children in
areas with non-fluoridated water have about a 50 per cent higher incidence of
having one or more decayed or missing deciduous teeth, and about a 60 per cent
higher likelihood of having one or more either decayed or missing permanent
teeth. That significant difference brings home the benefits of the fluoridation
of water supplies. Fluoridation has now been in place in most of Western Australia
for almost 50 years.
Ms
M.M. Quirk : Listening to this answer is like having a root canal!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : There is actually quite a lot of interest in this issue, Mr
Speaker. The member for Girrawheen and most members in here at the moment would
probably not be aware of the very poor dental health conditions that existed in
children and adults in Western Australia until the mid-1960s.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : That is enough!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : That led to a substantial movement from the dental profession,
the Australian Dental Association —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : — and the dental school at the University of Western Australia
to introduce fluoridation of water supplies into the state. It is to the credit
of this Parliament and the then coalition government that the legislation was
introduced. There was opposition to it, but the then government pushed ahead
and more than 92 per cent of the Western Australian community now receive
fluoridated water. I know there are some sceptics. Some people either doubt the
benefits or still argue the case that fluoridation is harmful in some respects.
Several members interjected.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : In fact, I think there are a couple of sceptics in this chamber, and
I am not looking at the opposition.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : But I make members aware of the fact that no reputable
scientific information indicates that there are any harmful effects from the
fluoridation of water supplies at the level at which it is applied for the
prevention of dental disease. Another report released today by the National
Health and Medical Research Council also indicates as much. It is pleasing that
fluoridation has recently been introduced to Moora, Port Denison and Dongara,
and arrangements are in place to introduce it in Hedland, Newman, Kununurra and
Yanchep before the end of next year. Regarding any other further changes,
advice will be provided by the relevant fluoridation advisory committee.
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