An interactive website, designed by a specialist consultant and inviting community questions, is the first step towards the proposed roll-out of water fluoridation across the Bega Valley Shire.
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Bega Valley Shire Council manager of water and sewerage services Jim Collins confirmed on Tuesday February 9 that the specialist consultant would be engaged in two to three weeks’ time with an aim to launch the website in April.
“The consultant will work with council and NSW Health to design a suitable web-based facility to explain the dental benefits of fluoride,” Mr Collins said.
Mr Collins said public information and community feedback was a very important part of the process, but it would ultimately be the recommendations of NSW Health that would guide council in its final decision.
“NSW Health bases its strong view of the dental benefits around fluoride on many factors and studies, and council will be drawing on their expertise,” Mr Collins said.
“NSW Health’s input as the regulator is crucial as water fluoridation issues tends to polarise views,” Mr Collins said.
Indeed it does.
When the BVSC first announced introducing water fluoridation to the entire shire’s drinking water last November, the community erupted in debate with even dentists agreeing to disagree.
Eden Dental clinic dentist Dr Gabriel Maratheftis described fluoride as “one of the best health measures ever” while Merimbula’s Beach Street Centre dentist Dr Maria Claudianos described water fluoridation as “mass medication”.
“People forget that fluoride is a highly toxic substance,” Dr Claudianos said on Tuesday February 9.
“And plenty of studies have shown the neurological and endocrinological damage endured by consuming fluoridated water during developmental years.
“There needs to be a review of the legislation on fluoridation at a federal level in order to stop the political pressure on local councils to medicate without consent via water fluoridation.”