And another

Prior to the records scandal breaking, that of the mass fluoridisation of public water supplies had also been given a modest airing in the DT, it being alleged that the BMJ alleged that there is precious little evidence that fluoridisation does any good. This allegation in the midst of an article by one Andrew M. Brown about how awful it is for drug companies to persuade governments to feed their populations medicines, willy-nilly, without regard to the needs of individuals but with much regard to the profits of said drug companies.

It is curious that this particular issue does seem to touch such a raw nerve. We seem to be curiously sensitised to this particular addition to our diet and have been so sensitised ever since it was first mooted at least 50 years ago, despite my reading of a BMJ article with title 'Systematic review of water fluoridation', being that fluoridisation does reduce the (expensive) incidence of rotten teeth and that the only known side effect is occasional mottling. Perhaps not very desirable, but not very harmful either. Is it something to do with a deep, almost instinctive care for our water supply? That it is essential that this essential of life be as pure as it can possibly be - neglecting the regular and large shots of chlorine into the drinking water in Epsom, I am told to counter the various leakages from the waste water network. Quite often at a level which gives one's bath a smell of chlorine. Perhaps all the fuss about additives to food is powered by a similarly deep care for our food supply. A deep rooted desire to go back to the mythic purity of nature, a deep rooted desire actively promoted by the purveyors of health foods, to name just one interested party.

Dipping deeper into the article, it seems that much of the effect of fluoridisation of water is achieved by the fluoridisation of the toothpaste which most of us use. Doing the water adds more value when standards of dental hygiene are low, as they were in this country fifty years ago, and as they still are in many poorer countries. Where are all the people protesting the fluoridisation of toothpaste?

Curious also that the DT, generally regarded as the mouthpiece of the right, should be so alert to the vested interested of large companies. Perhaps it is really the mouthpiece of what we lefties used to call the petit bourgeoisie (not to say petty bourgeoisie), people who take almost as much damage from the big companies as the workers. Not that the this section of the bourgeoisie were particularly well known for the humane way that they treated their own workers or their customers. See Thyde Monnier on the subject.