Or, are you like most people, and only go when you’re in agony or when you break a tooth trying to eat a Mintie or something like that?
I’m not even one of those types. So maybe there are three types.
The ones who go to the dentist even if they think there’s nothing wrong. The ones who only go when they know for sure something’s wrong. And the ones who know there’s something wrong but still don’t do anything about it. Even if they can afford it.
Some people are scared of the dentist. Some people are terrified. But I’m not. I just don’t go.
The Green Party says many people aren’t going to the dentist because of the cost and it wants to see a free national dental service. Paid for by a wealth tax.
It wouldn’t include cosmetic stuff. Just the basic things like check-ups and fillings.
But it’s going to be pushing it uphill with its potential coalition partner, Labour. Because Labour has said time and time again that it’s not interested in a wealth tax.
James Shaw won't be be deterred, though. He thinks that, if the Greens get enough votes, they could get this across the line. But he would say that, wouldn’t he?
But there is something I think we could do to improve the state of teeth in New Zealand. And it wouldn’t cost anything like a free dental service. And it would have an impact on everyone. And that’s fluoridation of all water supplies.
Which is happening on a bit of an ad-hoc basis, at the moment. The Government wants it everywhere. We don’t have fluoride in the water in Christchurch yet. But it will be a good thing when it is.
Because if we are serious about oral health, putting fluoride in our drinking water is a much better option than pouring truckloads of money into a national dental service which, I don’t believe, would achieve what the Green party thinks it would.
John MacDonald is the Canterbury Mornings host on Newstalk ZB Christchurch. This article was first published HERE
Some people are scared of the dentist. Some people are terrified. But I’m not. I just don’t go.
The Green Party says many people aren’t going to the dentist because of the cost and it wants to see a free national dental service. Paid for by a wealth tax.
It wouldn’t include cosmetic stuff. Just the basic things like check-ups and fillings.
But it’s going to be pushing it uphill with its potential coalition partner, Labour. Because Labour has said time and time again that it’s not interested in a wealth tax.
James Shaw won't be be deterred, though. He thinks that, if the Greens get enough votes, they could get this across the line. But he would say that, wouldn’t he?
But there is something I think we could do to improve the state of teeth in New Zealand. And it wouldn’t cost anything like a free dental service. And it would have an impact on everyone. And that’s fluoridation of all water supplies.
Which is happening on a bit of an ad-hoc basis, at the moment. The Government wants it everywhere. We don’t have fluoride in the water in Christchurch yet. But it will be a good thing when it is.
Because if we are serious about oral health, putting fluoride in our drinking water is a much better option than pouring truckloads of money into a national dental service which, I don’t believe, would achieve what the Green party thinks it would.
John MacDonald is the Canterbury Mornings host on Newstalk ZB Christchurch. This article was first published HERE
4 comments:
What is the Green Party policy on fluoridation of the water supply - does anyone know?
Hydrofluorosilicic acid commonly known as Fluoride is a toxic waste product collected from the chimneys of the fertilizer industry. The fluoride chemical also contains traces of lead, aluminum, mercury, arsenic and sometimes uranium. It is banned from being released into the air, sea, lakes and rivers because it is toxic to animals and the environment, yet ends up in our council controlled drinking water?
In recent years the scientific research finding that fluoride is neurotoxic, even at what we consider today to be low doses, is compelling and overwhelming. Editors of the world’s leading pediatric journal have compared fluoride to lead.
For the other side of the fluoride story check out fluoridefree.org.nz
I would second anon's caution about water flouridation. A myopic focus on oral health ignores the risks flouride poses for general health and well-being. Although flouride is safe at low concentrations, consuming large amounts of flouride is dangerous and can lead to flouride toxicity ... impacting bone formation and other organs. The problem with introducing flouride into drinking water is that it is difficult to determine how much flouride a person is consuming. Topical application of flouride on teeth (e.g., via toothpaste) makes much more sense.
Dear John,
Some take home points for you to consider and ponder, not necessarily in order of importance.
1. Stiffen up your view on personal responsibility for our own teeth.
2. Zip up your wallet pocket.
3. There is so much published information available from the anti-fluoride people for you to absorb.
4. Asks the Greens their policy on fluoride addition to our water supply. Many voters will love to know.
5. A challenge to you to find just one study (pare-reviewed and recent) that settles the effectiveness of ingested fluoride treatment of humans for dental caries.
6. Provide a working link to this study.
7. Widen your reading.
I do wholeheartedly agree on one point you raise where you write that FLUORIDATION OF ALL WATER WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON EVERYONE. Fluoride is a poison John, it's a toxin. It kills at a rate commiserate with its concentration.
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