Re: E Becker's letter ‘Don't swallow fluoride guff' (The Weekend Sun, April 24). It shocked me, with its lack of scientific evidence and obvious scaremongering.

Fluoride in drinking water is safe.

How do I know this?

The World Health Organisation, which consults the world's leading scientists and writes reports with peer-reviewed, scientific-based evidence, tells me it's safe.

Becker says some countries have banned fluoridation. But statistics show the level of dental caries (mean number of decayed, missing or filled teeth) falls from seven at a fluoride concentration of 0.1 mg/l to about 3.5 at a concentration of 1.0 mg/l.

As concentration increased (2.6 mg/l), dental decay continued to slightly fall (Dean, 1942; USPHS, 1991; WHO Report).

BOPDHB states it's cost effective to fluoridate drinking water for populations above 1000, saying it's one health measure that doesn't follow the inverse care law, by providing greater benefit to low income-earners and those with poor oral health, reducing health inequalities.

The 2009 NZ Oral Health Survey shows those with water fluoridation have significantly better oral health.

The BOP district, in 2010, had mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth for Year 8s at 2.13 in non-fluoridated areas, and 1.97 in fluoridated areas.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put fluoridation in the 10 Great Public Health Achievements US 1900-1999.

WHO's report counters and debunks claims of birth defects, cancer etc. People can read it on the website.

I recommend those anti-fluoride read it and note the research.

For a government, based on cost, I expect it's worth controlling fluoride in drinking water.

The cost of treating water is lower than treating severe fluorosis, or unnecessary dental caries.

I urge councillors to take the route of science, not pseudoscience. I ask readers to look at the facts before conspiracy theories.

T Jones, Mount Maunganui.