Ireland is ignoring fluoride risk

The Irish Examiner reported (Tuesday, Oct 15, 2013) that the chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said that the fluoridation of water was not a risk to the public. This opinion is not accepted in most developed countries.

The safety of fluoride is based on dietary exposure from all sources, including water, beverages, medications, and occupational exposures. It is also based on the age, and nutritional and health status, of the individual consumers.

Twenty years ago, the World Health Organisation advised that the fluoride content in foodstuffs should be labelled, particularly in countries where water fluoridation is practised, due to their populations’ higher exposure.