Join the Fluoridation Free coalition in calling for a nationwide ban on fluoridation of public drinking water

Fluoridation is not cost effective when you consider the total cost to benefit. When measuring the real cost of fluoridation the current policy sees a small return on investment of public funds. The Whangarei District Council chose not to introduce fluoridation to the district citing the expense as one reason.

It would have cost them approximately $250,000 to install the fluoridation station. There were also costs of maintaining the pipes as they corrode more rapidly and require replacing more often than unfluoridated water stations. When you add up these costs across every council, plus the actual ongoing cost of purchasing the fluoride (which is mostly imported), the costs to the health care system in treating fluoride overexposure issues from dental fluorosis to bone issues and thyroid dysfunction, this is a tremendous amount of public funding with no significant difference in decay rates. There are more cost effective ways of dealing with tooth decay. The successful “lift the lip program” in Canterbury proved that public health officials can implement other measures to improve dental health in the community.