AFTER months of debate and discussion, the decision has finally been made to go ahead with putting fluoride in the water supply in Southampton.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the benefits of fluoride and I welcome this move.

For too many years Southampton has had a poor record of dental care in children – five-year-old children in the city have more missing or filled teeth than the average for England.

A shocking 42 per cent of children in Southampton who have experienced dental decay have an average of more than four decayed, missing or filled teeth.

Fluoride in the water will help children to have stronger teeth and they won’t need to have so many fillings in the future

The role of fluoride in preventing dental decay is well known and the benefits far outweigh any safety concerns that have been raised during the consultation period.

I congratulate those who took this decision for the future health of the city and I look forward to seeing the results of this action in the coming years.