Golden Age: Five years on Gold Coast Council backs fluoridation

GOLD Coast city leaders have revealed what they think about fluoride in the water supply five years after they were given the choice to remove it.

IT has been half a decade since two thirds of Queensland’s councils abandoned fluoridation, but the Gold Coast stands by its decision to push against the tide.

And studies have shown the sense in that decision.

Of the 77 councils that reconsidered fluoridation during the time of the Newman government, just 26 chose to continue the scheme in which fluoride is added to the water supply to improve dental health.

In 2013 the Gold Coast City Council opted against filtering out the chemical from the South East Water Grid, which would have cost ratepayers up to $100 million.

The grid supplies more than 2.5 million people across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast.

Fluoride was originally added in 2008.

A 2015 story found tooth decay in Logan children had been cut by 19 per cent.

Mayor Tom Tate says his council’s position on fluoride has not changed.

Cr Dawn Crichlow, who was pro-fluoride and against moves to remove it from the water at the time, said the decision was a huge positive for the health of the Gold Coast.

“I absolutely support it. I supported it then and support it now,” Cr Crichlow said.

“People wanted it. They used to come in and get fluoride tablets from the council for free before it was added in 2008. There has been no issue since.

“I have not had one person in two years say, ‘how long do we need to put up with this’.

“It’s been proven to help dental health and I got the health experts for those facts,” she said.

Gold Coast City Councilor Dawn Crichlow Photo: David Clark

Australian Dental Association spokesman Dr Michael Foley said the decision was positive for oral health in the region.

“I think it is fabulous,” Dr Foley said.

While funding was still being sought for new oral health studies on the benefits, Dr Foley said the positives of fluoridation could be seen on the Gold Coast.

“Documenting the benefits of fluoridation can be a very slow process, but we have already seen it make a big difference — not just for the kids of course but in adults,” Dr Foley said.

In 2015 Dr Foley co-authored a report into the effects of water fluoridation in Logan. The study found tooth decay in children there had been cut by 19 per cent.

An earlier major child oral health survey in 2010-2012 showed the benefits of long-term use for a community.

Brisbane Dental Hospital director Dr Michael Foley talks about the positives of fluoride in drinking water across Queensland.

“The survey of 5000 Queensland kids in 2010 showed clear evidence that the best dental health by far was in Townsville, which has had fluoride in the system since 1964,” he said.

“While we are still waiting on funding to do a follow-up study, we are very confident that the dental health of children on the Gold Coast will be better than what is was when it was tested back in 2010.”

A population health profile of the Gold Coast in 2015 found just over half the child population (aged 5-14) had no tooth decay.

At 53.1 per cent, the Gold Coast sat ahead of the state average.

“As I travel and look at people’s teeth around Australia, you can tell a difference in their teeth depending on where they were raised,” he said.

“I think the big majority of Australians and Queenslanders, like those on the Gold Coast, accept the benefit of fluoride.”