I have read with interest the debate happening in Gunnedah regarding fluoride in the town’s water supply. I find this subject very interesting, as many years ago now, I (as an alderman on the Tamworth City Council) was chosen by Council to be a representative on behalf of the Tamworth City Council to an appointment in Sydney Health Department regarding fluoridation in state-wide water supplies. That meant at the time, a trip to Sydney for a meeting once every few months for years.
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Tamworth Council was, at the time, particularly chosen as one of several water supplies with fluoride as it had a long history of fluoride in the water in NSW, starting in the 1950’s I think. History talks about the decision to put fluoride in the water supply came after talks with people, dentists and public figures in Tamworth.
I took particular interest in this, as it raised its head locally again, like it does in many towns, after some years of fluoridation use, to see what the public still thinks about the chemical which was chosen years before.
Although this is a long time ago, I particularly recall the meetings in Sydney, as the fluoridation people of the State Government were keen to get all towns using fluoride water. At the time, there was a financial benefit available to get started. What happens now, I don’t know about that.
Like in Gunnedah today, there were many people not happy about the fluoride in the water supply in the 70’s and 80’s. The debate has not been raised in Tamworth for many years.
I was married with small children at the time and my wife, with some of her group of friends were not happy about the fluoride, because they themselves had carried out studies that did not look at it in a favourable light.
During those meetings in Sydney, I was a little bit alarmed about how they pushed and pushed to get towns on the scheme. I believed it was a purely personal thing and if people really didn’t want it, you shouldn’t make them have it. It was particularly interesting at the time, because we (my family) had moved out of town and we were not on Tamworth water supply. The advice to me was that we should take fluoride tablets, otherwise the children would grow up with teeth problems. As it turned out, my children grew up with absolutely beautiful teeth using tank and bore water and still have beautiful teeth today. I must say, my wife, Lorraine, was strict on our children with their teeth cleaning, which makes me think that it’s more about how the kids clean their teeth than it is about fluoride. Many of our friends had the same experience.
I have read information over the years about fluoride and where it comes from and it does make you wonder why it doesn’t cause other health problems in life.
Warren Woodley OAM
Tamworth
