Last days for Onehunga's fluoride poll

By FRANCESCA MOLD health reporter

A postal survey asking Onehunga residents whether they want to join the rest of Auckland City in fluoridating their water supply closes this week.

Onehunga is the only area within Auckland City Council boundaries to have an unfluoridated water supply.

The Papakura District Council voted last month to add fluoride to its water.

The Auckland City Council has spent $45,000 on a postal preference survey, which has been sent out to people registered on the electoral roll.

The survey result is not binding and a decision will be made by the Auckland City Council next year. But public health experts are concerned there will be a poor response rate to the postal survey.

A similar survey in Onehunga concerning the development of a new library received replies from just 3 per cent of residents.

The Auckland medical officer of health, Donald Campbell, said most who responded would be likely to be strongly for or strongly against fluoridation.

Dr Campbell said he believed fluoridation was an effective public health measure.

It was inequitable for the whole of Auckland City apart from Onehunga to be fluoridated, he said.

Dr Campbell said water fluoridation prevented between 2.4 and 12 decayed teeth a person and was an effective prevention measure for adults and children.

Research has shown possible links between fluoride, cancer and increased likelihood of fractures.

But Dr Campbell said recent reviews of fluoride research in Britain and Australia had largely dismissed this research.

The only proven risk of increased intake of fluoride was fluorosis - mottling of the teeth, said Dr Campbell.

Dr Gay Keating, of the Public Health Association, said teaching dental hygiene was important but it was equally vital that each community helped lower-income families by having the water supply fluoridated.

Health Minister Annette King has written to mayors recommending all water supplies be fluoridated.