Press Release 001

#001

* embargoed until 00.01 am, Friday 6th October, 2000.

Headline: 'Bad teeth' counted as "sound and present" in dental health studies.

MAJOR DENTAL HEALTH ORGANISATION ADMITS TO COUNTING 'BAD TEETH' AS "SOUND AND PRESENT".

MAJOR STUDIES INTO DECAYED, MISSING AND FILLED TEETH NOW SERIOUSLY UNDERMINED.

Correspondence between Mr C Holdcroft (fluoride.org.uk) and Dr Zoann Nugent (BASCD - British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry) has revealed that teeth which are partly decayed or damaged by fluoride are being counted as "sound and present".

Background.

The BASCD are responsible for dental health studies on 5, 12 and 14-year-olds. These studies are carried out on a regular basis (5-yr-olds every 2 years, 12 & 14-yr-olds every 4 years).

There are two main publishers - the BASCD and the British Fluoridation Society (BFS). The BASCD publish the full findings of their studies on their own site and the BFS use variations in the 'dmft index' ( number of decayed, missing and filled teeth ) to promote fluoridation. The BFS publish this data in the form of 'league tables'.

It should be noted that the BFS receive annual payments from the Government to promote one-sided pro-fluoridation propaganda.

Chris Holdcroft, the author of this press release, is an established anti-fluoridationist with over 9 years experience of the subject. His specialities are dental health statistics and research into the often legally protected but criminal and fraudulent activities of the fluoridation 'industry'.

History.

On the 27th July 2000, the author wrote to Dr Nugent concerning the lack of adequate data on the condition known as fluorosis. This is a condition where teeth are affected by too much fluoride consumption. This condition IS recorded by the BASCD and reported under the following criteria: Code 0 (or G) - Present and Sound. After sending a reminder in early to September to Dr Nugent, a reply was received on September 18th.

Dr Nugent wrote and I quote: "Thank you for your interest in the SHBDEP and BASCD databases. At this time, we do not collect data on fluorosis as part of either of these studies"

In my follow-up letter of the 23rd September, I reminded Dr Nugent that fluorosis data WAS in fact recorded under Code 0 (or G). I also questioned the lack of information about 'sub-d3 decayed teeth'. 'Sub-d3' decayed teeth are teeth which are decayed but where the decay has not penetrated the tooth to the extent that it has reached the dentine. As a consequence, the "caries into dentine" threshold is defined as d3 in 'dmft' studies whereas decay which has not penetrated into the dentine the tooth is counted as "sound".

On the 25th September Dr Nugent replied;-

"The full quote is: Surface code 0 (or G) - Present and "sound"

A surface is recorded as "sound" if it shows no evidence of treatment or untreated clinical caries at the "caries into dentine" diagnostic threshold". The early stages of caries, as well as other similar conditions, are excluded. Thus, surfaces with the following defects (sic), in the absence of other positive criteria, should be counted as present and "sound".

• white or chalky spots;
• discoloured or rough spots;
• stained pits or fissures in the enamel which are not associated with a carious lesion into dentine;
• dark, shiny, hard, pitted areas of enamel in a tooth showing signs of *moderate to severe fluorosis. (*my emphasis added).

All questionable lesions should be coded as "sound"

Dr Nugent added that teeth coded as 0 (or G) were represented in BASCD published studies for the years 1998 - 2000 as being "sound".

Conclusion.

The studies used to report and promote water fluoridation are misrepresenting the true nature of dental health in the United Kingdom. In areas which are either naturally or artificially fluoridated there is likely to be an observed increase in the condition known as fluorosis. Moderate to severe fluorosis is likely to cause distress to children. In one recorded example a child with fluorosis was chided by other children for having "dirty teeth". The remedy for fluorosis in only temporary and requires very expensive cosmetic treatments.

Until the BASCD reports more accurately the incidence of fluorosis and ALL tooth decay, their studies will be open to accusations of not being truly representative of dental health in the UK.

END OF STATEMENT.