A COUNCIL is to stand by its10-year opposition to the fluoridation of tap water - despite expert advice to the contrary.

An East Lancashire Health Authority document, "Dental Health in Children," has revealed that five-year-olds in the area suffer some of the worst tooth decay in the country and calls for fluoride to be added to mains water by the year 2003.

But Ribble Valley Council leader Howel Jones' call for the council to maintain its policy of not supporting the fluoridation of mains water was supported by 19 votes to eight at a meeting last night.

Dr Gary Whittle, consultant in public health for East Lancashire Health Authority, told the Ribble Valley Council meeting that educating the public wasn't enough in the fight against tooth decay.

He argued that fluoridation was the simplest and most cost-effective way of reducing tooth decay in East Lancashire children. "If you had treated children with rotten teeth like I had you would see why I feel so strongly about this issue. It is precisely because we know that fluoride can safely be added to the water supply that we are seeking to promote it. Our children deserve the very best that we can provide for them," he said.

But Sue Vaughan, of North-West Councils Against Fluoridation, claimed that fluoridation had well-documented adverse effects on health and was "forced medication."

"Tooth decay is actually decreasing and our children have some of the best teeth in Europe; better than some countries with fluoridated water. We uphold the right of people to choose what medication they take," she said.

Councillor Jones said children in Gateshead, which had fluoridated water, also had poor dental health.

"Polls show that 80 per cent of the population are against fluoridation, as well as 28 out of 31 councils in the North-West. Fluoride is an accumulative poison and adding it to water supplies should be avoided," he said.

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