The Lethbridge Herald released an open letter from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) on September 18, expressing the organization’s support for community water fluoridation. The letter, written by CDHA’s executive director, Ondina Love, notes that access to oral health care is not universal, and that water fluoridation is “a proven, safe, effective and inexpensive alternative strategy to reduce the burden of tooth decay among all residents, including those most economically disadvantaged for whom regular oral health visits are not affordable.”
The letter also cites a Wellesley Institute report which recommends water fluoridation be either continued or instituted by communities, and states that there is no clear evidence of its negative effects.
The Lethbridge, Alberta, paper also released an open letter on September 10 from Dr. Gerry Uswak, president of the Canadian Association of Public Health, in support of fluoridation.
“We recognize the benefits of community water fluoridation and… recommend it as a safe, effective and economical public health measure,” Uswak wrote.
The issue of water fluoridation is an ongoing controversy in many Canadian communities. Fluoride Free Lethbridge is a local group of concerned citizens who have called for water fluoridation to be abandoned. Similarly, Toronto group Fluoride Free Toronto is looking to end water fluoridation in their city, and held a peaceful demonstration outside City Hall on September 21.
Other Water Canada stories on fluoridation: Dental Experts Support Water Fluoridation, H2Outlaw, Fluoride: The Perennial Debate