What consultation it has had with other European Union countries on fluoridation of the public water supply and what consideration it has g…

The Scottish Executive has not formally consulted widely outwith Scotland on how best to improve our children's oral health. The Executive will take account of the views expressed by the people of Scotland in response to the consultation document Towards Better Oral Health in Children, published on 24 September. Fluoridation of the public water supply is one of a number of possible measures described in that document.Fluoride toothpaste has widespread support in Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Holland and France. In France, fluoridated salt has widespread support, and in many other countries such as Australia, Republic of Ireland and America there is support for water fluoridation. For example, in USA, at present, more than 150 million people receive fluoride daily in their water supply and this is increasing.International perspectives on fluoridation of the public water supply are mixed and therefore not compelling in isolation.