Fluoride crisis Qld: Another regional council considers capitulating to the ‘noisy minority’

One of Queensland’s few remaining regional councils to offer residents fluoridated water is considering turning off the tap.

Cook Shire Council has reopened the debate over fluoride.

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One of the few remaining regional councils to offer residents fluoridated water is considering turning off the tap, but its mayor says most of the opposition to the tooth-saving mineral is from people not even connected to the town water supply.

Cook Shire Council, which encompasses the most northern tip of the state, is canvassing its ratepayers about the possibility of discontinuing its fluoridation program following a motion by one of its councillors in December to reopen the debate.

Council minutes show three people attended its October meeting to outline their concerns around fluoride.

Mayor Robyn Holmes said Cooktown was the only town in the shire that had fluoride added to its town supply, and some other towns, such as Coen, had sufficient levels of naturally occurring fluoride.

“It’s really difficult for council to make these decisions because we’re not qualified health experts,” she said.

“We actually have to seek their advice, and I believe that the decision should rest with the Queensland government because it is a health issue, and the state administer health.”

Cr Holmes said the issue came to a head late last year but was not something that had caused ongoing debate previously.

“It’s safe to say that the majority of people who are against it are not on the town water supply,” she said.

“Most them are from out of town, like in other townships, or they live on farms around the Cook Shire and have bore water or tank water.”

Cr Holmes said councillors voted against a profesionally run community engagement process and instead decided to do their own.

“I feel as though to conduct a thorough community consultation and try and gain input from all community, especially those who are connected to the Cooktown town water supply, is challenging...but needs to be done properly,” she said.

Queensland councils have been targeted by anti-fluoride protesters.

Councillors are expected to discuss the issue, and potentially vote on it, at a meeting in late February.

The Courier-Mail and its sister publications across Queensland launched the State of Decay series to highlight the significant dental health problems in regions without fluoride.

Just 25 of the state’s 77 councils have fluoridated water, the majority in the southeast.

Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service public health medical officer Dr Allison Hempenstall said she was incredibly concerned to hear Cook Shire was considering removing fluoride from its town water supply

“Our imminent concern is that (Cook Shire Council) is going to remove fluoride for all the residents of Cook Shire, because you have a noisy minority who are concerned about ill health effects, which have been, without a doubt, unsubstantiated,” she said

“I’m really concerned about the oral health of those who live in the Cook Shire because there’s a big push at the moment to stop water fluoridation.”

Queensland chief dental officer Dr Ben Stute said while fluoride was not the only important measure in protecting oral health, there was no doubt “water fluoridation is a safe and effective strategy for reducing decay”.

“I think it’s an important element of improving oral health across the state, but also … it’s only one component of improving oral health, and I guess we also hope to improve people’s awareness of some of the simple daily things they can be doing to look after their teeth, like brushing their teeth twice a day, using the right toothpaste, having a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water instead of sugary drinks and also regularly attending the dentist,” he said.

Asked whether he was concerned about councils ceasing fluoridation programs, he said he believed his role in the debate was making sure councils had the best available advice to make those decisions.

“We make ourselves available to provide advice to councils and give them the best advice, whether it’s from a medical or a dental perspective, on the benefits and safety of water fluoridation,” he said.

Originally published as Fluoride crisis Qld: Another regional council considers capitulating to the ‘noisy minority’