Hamilton Councillors Knowingly Put Babies at Risk
“There is strong evidence that fluoride should not be ingested at all by babies under six months old and bottle-fed
babies are therefore at greater potential risk” according to the Hamilton City Council (HCC), published in the City News
in June last year. This, among other reasons, is what the council explained to the Hamilton public when they stopped
fluoridation after a four day hearing where they listened to doctors, dentists, scientists and other health
professionals from both sides of the issue.
Yesterday’s decision is a disgraceful example of politicians putting votes above the welfare of their community.
A report by Irish environmental scientist, Declan Waugh, showed that when fluoridation levels in the Republic of Ireland
were reduced from 1ppm to 0.8ppm in 2007 there was a subsequent 18 - 50% drop the following year in sudden infant death
(SIDS) rates. Rates have never returned to pre-2007 levels.
Hamilton City Council now needs to advise every parent and caregiver in the city that the water will no longer be safe
for babies. Fluoride cannot be boiled out, in fact boiling concentrates it, nor do standard filters remove it. Babies
will also be bathing in.
The HCC also said “Application by toothpaste or other means that directly affect the tooth surface are much more
effective at reducing tooth decay than fluoridation of water supplies.” So they know it is ineffective as well as
unsafe.
Hamilton City Councillors should have embarked on an education campaign to share with the community what it had learnt
over the four days. Their claim that they are complying with the public will is really just an excuse to allow them to
do what they think is in their own political interest.
Ends