November

2009 WWW.HAMPSHIREAGAINSTFLUORIDATIO
N.ORG
Inside this
issue:

New dental
Latest figures blow a hole in the
fluoridation argument
decay figures

Southampton
Court Leet
Last month the NHS released figures “I urge the South Central Health Au-
Politics news from the latest survey of the dental thority to reverse their decision in the
health of five year old children. This light of these figures. The people of
Fluoride and national survey is undertaken every Southampton would welcome such a
milk formula year and the survey found that the move and it would do a lot to restore
for babies number of five-year-olds in the city faith in the board. After all, their jus-
with dental decay has fallen dramati- tification for fluoridation has just gone
cally, as has the average number of down the plug hole."
diseased teeth.
However, health chiefs have vowed to
The high decay rate for five year continue with plans to add fluoride to
olds in 2003 and 2005 was the key water supplies and fight the Judicial
argument that the Primary Care Review. This is despite the improved
Trust used to justify water fluorida- dental health figures and continuing
tion. local opposition. The SHA have also
CONTENTS In Southampton the decay rate has acknowledged that the cost of install-
dropped to 1.13dmft (decayed, miss- ing fluoridation equipment could be two
New dental 1 or three times the original forecast.
decay figures ing & filled teeth) and only 31% of
five year olds had some decay. This In a statement to the Echo, HAF mem-
Court Leet 2
compares to 1.76dmft and 42% in ber Stephen Peckham said:
Fluoride and 2 2005/6. This decrease was predict-
oysters
able and rates are lower than in 2001. “It blows a hole in what they have con-
HAF talks to 3 The figures reflect a continuing sistently said that Southampton has
shadow health some of the worst teeth in the country
trend in the decline in dental caries in
minister
the city‟s children over the last dec- – that‟s patently not true, and probably
HAF Chair 3
stands as MP ade or so and the city now has virtu- never was. It completely changes the
ally the same rates of decay as the economic analysis and the whole thing
New research 4
shows babies at English average (1.11dmft) which is is now so shaky that the noble thing to
risk good for a large urban area. do would probably be to accept they
HAF 4
Commenting on the new figures San-
were wrong in the first place.”
membership
dra Gidley MP said:

www.hampshireagainstfluoridation.orgWebsite: hampshirea-
 PAGE 2

HAF takes its case to the Court Leet

On Tuesday 9th October Stephen
Peckham on behalf of HAF made a
presentation to the annual South-
ampton City Council Court Leet
asking for the Court to refer the
matter of water fluoridation back
to the City Council for further
debate. His was one of four
„presentments‟ on fluoridation and
while this and another one by a
resident were rejected by the
jury, two further ones by Steve
Matthews and Mary Williams
were accepted (see below for
Steve Matthew‟s presentment).
HAF requested the Court to re-
fer the matter of fluoridation to
the City Council for further de-
bate. It has become clear from
the result of the consultation
and the 15,300 signature peti-
tion handed to Downing Street
that many local people are op-
posed to fluoridation and the
support of Southampton City
Council was a strong factor in
the SHA‟s decision. Recommen-
dations from the Court Leet dental decay, getting a new de-
need to be considered by the bate in Council is essential. We
City Council Cabinet and re- have written to him to urge the
sponded to. City Council to reopen the de-
bate. HAF members have also
With the recent acknowledge-
written to local councillors to
ment by the City Council‟s Dep-
find out if those who voted for
uty leader Cllr Royston-Smith
the scheme have now changed
that many councillors may not
their minds given the changed
have voted for fluoridation last
circumstances. We will publish
November if they had been
this in our next newsletter.
aware of the reductions in

Water fluoridation could harm local oyster fishing

At the Court Leet one of the accepted presentments was made by Steve Matthews who high-
lighted his concerns about the impact of fluoride on local oyster fishing with the following:
.My father has had an oyster-fishing licence for 37 years and I am making this presentment on behalf
of the Solent oyster and those individuals whose livelihoods depend upon it. It is a matter of scientific
fact that fluoride is readily accumulated in the meats of oysters and that the growth rate of these
shellfish is decreased and the mortality increased. (Moore 1969)
Most of the hexafluorosilicic acid that will be added to the City's water supply will ultimately find its
way into Southampton Water. This body of water directly flows into and is indeed a part of the Solent
Oyster Fishery. Southampton Water is also part of a thriving commercial whelk fishery, not to mention
also a newly discovered Mannila Clam bed near Hythe. Since the Solent oyster population is already un-
der threat from the invasion of the 'tingle-driller-whelk' and the increase in red algal blooms, it is even
more vital that the question of the toxicity of fluoride relative to the local native oyster be taken seri-
ously. It is encumbent upon the City Council therefore to take steps to determine the possible effects
upon the shellfish environment which may occur due to the presence of fluoride and to take steps to
halt the fluoridation programme until the appropriate bodies have been consulted and a proper environ-
mental assessment has been carried out. I would like to take the opportunity to remind this court that
the quantity of fluoride ending up in Southampton Water will be in the region of 110 tonnes per year-
not an insignificant quantity - and roughly equates to 440 fifty-gallon drums.
Alan Whitehead has been involved with the Marine & Coastal Access Bill which comes into force
this month and concerns the “wellbeing of the sea bed and protection of the natural environment”.
Let’s hope the impact of fluoridation on the marine environment is now taken seriously.

WWW.HAMPSHIREAGAINSTFLUORIDATION.ORG
 PAGE 3

HAF Chairman stands for Parliament

HAF chairman John Spottiswoode has been selected as the prospec-
tive parliamentary candidate for the Green Party in the Southampton
Itchen constituency. John helped found HAF and has been Chairman
for the last two years. Here he explains why he feels fluoride is an
important political issue.
This irrational push for fluoridation by government and the health au-
thorities raises fundamental questions about our Democracy. By what
right can government force people to drink something that many consider
a poison? Would a majority vote override the right of the individual to
refuse enforced medication via the water supply? Also how are people on an unelected body such
as the Health Authority Boards to be held to account for what they do? Especially when the
Health Authorities use unsound science and their decision is likely to have a negative impact on
the health of thousands of people. This is why water fluoridation has to be tackled at the political
level, and why I am standing for parliament in Southampton Itchen as the Green Party candi-
date. I also want to encourage people to stand in the local elections in May to remove the pro-
fluoridation Councillors. If our politicians think that they can get away with forcing people to
drink fluoride, when most people clearly do not want it, then they must be voted out of office,
both at local Council level and as our MPs. Fluoridation is not only based on bad science, it is mor-
ally indefensible. Fluoridation is just one example of how politicians decide to pollute our environ-
ment, without even bothering with an Environmental Assessment in this case. How people convince
themselves that putting a long term persistent toxin into our environment is somehow OK. How
we fail to take any notice of the Precautionary Principle which says that where there are signifi-
cant dangers then we do not do it. The corruption in Parliament over expense claims is negligible
compared to the seriousness of what our politicians are prepared to do to us and our environment.

Deputation meets Tory Shadow Health Minister

On Monday 19th October HAF member Stephen Peckham joined other
campaigners — Joy Warren (West Midlands), Tony Lees (UK Councils
Against Fluoridation) and Robert Verkerk (Natural Health Alliance) -
in a meeting with the Shadow Health Minister Mike Penning.
We received a warm welcome and Mike Penning made clear his own opposi-
tion to water fluoridation but also was equally clear that a commitment to
the abolition of water fluoridation or even changes to the guidelines on
its introduction would not be in the Party‟s election manifesto.

However, he committed himself and the Conservative Party to overhauling the consultation guide-
lines if they form the next government. He was unable to say how this would be done or what the
new guidelines might look like but he said he welcomed our views on this saying that he would have
an open door if he was Health Minister.
He said he had seen the SHA consultation document and thought it was deplorable. He felt people
had been ignored and that more account should have been taken of local people‟s concerns and
opposition. He was particularly interested in the European angle and Robert Verkerk is going to
send further information about this to him. Overall the meeting was positive and his statements
represent a small but important shift in Conservative views.
 PAGE 4

Latest research confirms fluorosis risk for young children

“When powdered or liquid concentrate infant formulas are the primary source of nutrition, some
infants are likely to exceed the recommended fluoride upper limit if the formula is reconsti-
tuted with water containing 1.0 ppm fluoride.”
This is the conclusion of a study published in the most recent edition of the Journal of the American
Dental Association . This confirms the findings of a number of previous studies which show conclu-
sively that babies and infants fed formula milk in areas where the water is fluoridated will receive
excess fluoride. This places them at risk of dental fluorosis which in severe cases damages the teeth
and can potentially lead to other health problems later in life as the fluoride accumulates in the bone
and other tissues. The article recommends that formula milk should be reconstituted with fluo-
ride free water.
Siew, C. Et al. 2009. Assessing a potential risk factor for enamel fluorosis: a preliminary evaluation of fluoride content in
infant formulas. Journal of the American Dental Association. 140; 1228-1236

Contact HAF:
Chairman John
Spottiswoode:
Join Hampshire Against Fluoridation
02380 789230 We want to build up our membership to ensure that we can Please send membership
continue to play an active role challenging the decision to form to:
Membership fluoridate the water and start to build links with groups in Ann Richards
Secretary: Ann other areas of the country who are now threatened with 4 South Road
Richards: similar consultation proposals. Membership of HAF is open Hayling Island
02392 463761 to anyone or any local groups or organisations that support PO11 9AE
our objectives of keeping our water fluoride free. We wel-
Tel: 02392 463761
Local contacts: come people who would like to help our campaign and
annpeter@richards177.fsnet.co.uk
Caroline Place would particularly welcome help with accounting. Check
0788 2240009 our website and keep updated on the latest developments Cheques payable to Hampshire
on the HAF blog : Against Fluoridation
Anna Peckham http://hampshireagainstfluoridation.blogspot.com/
02380 493776

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