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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Andrew Messenger

Water fluoridation cut tooth decay in Queensland children, study shows, but most councils have decided against it

Child having a dental examination
Queensland has long been the only state that gives authority over water fluoridation to councils, and has the lowest rates of fluoridation in Australia. Photograph: FangXiaNuo/Getty Images

New research has found that water fluoridation in Queensland reduced the rate of tooth decay in children to less than four out of every 10 children, down from nearly half of all children.

The findings come as more councils in Queensland vote to remove fluoride from their water supply. Of 77 local government areas in Queensland, only 16 add fluoride to water, most of them in south-east Queensland. Five more have naturally occurring fluoride. Two councils – Gympie and Cook – have voted to cease fluoridation in the last year.

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