Fluoride Free Toothpaste not allowed to be sold in Fiji

Fluoride pastes way to go

Thursday, August 05, 2010

THE decision to stop future sales of non-fluoride toothpastes was done in the interest of aligning Fiji to better developed countries and improving oral hygiene.

Head of the Ministry of Health Dr Neil Sharma said it was an established fact that fluoride protected teeth and prevented infections which damaged teeth and gums and eventually led to rheumatic heart problems.
Responding to concerns raised by letter writers who claimed fluoride was a toxic chemical and that the public should be allowed a choice between fluoride and non-fluoride toothpastes, Dr Sharma said there was no need to do research to know that dental cavities were a major problem in Fiji.
"In medicine, we all know that any overdose is poison. The quantity of fluoride used in water is one part per million (1ppm) and it is an established fact that fluoride protects the teeth.
There are only two sources of fluoride and that is through the water supplies and toothpaste. If the developed nations are doing this why can't we do it in Fiji? It doesn't mean that we are poor and can't afford to give our children proper oral hygiene," he said.
Dr Sharma said apart from trying to improve the number of dental hygienists and introducing a postgraduate program that would raise issues of discussion for local dentists, emphasis also had to be placed on improving infrastructure. Asked about latest statistics on the state of oral health in Fiji, Dr Sharma said the last survey was done in 2004 and he had recently authorised another survey to be conducted as soon as possible.