John MacDonald: Fluoridation more achievable than a new dental service

Are you the sort of person who goes to the dentist like clockwork, even if you think there’s nothing wrong?

Or, are you like most people, and only go when you’re in agony or when you break a tooth trying to eat a Mintie or something like that?

I’m not even one of those types. So maybe there are three types.

The ones who go to the dentist even if they think there’s nothing wrong. The ones who only go when they know for sure something’s wrong. And the ones who know there’s something wrong but still don’t do anything about it. Even if they can afford it.

Some people are scared of the dentist. Some people are terrified. But I’m not. I just don’t go.

The Green Party says many people aren’t going to the dentist because of the cost and it wants to see a free national dental service. Paid for by a wealth tax.

It wouldn’t include cosmetic stuff. Just the basic things like check-ups and fillings.

But it’s going to be pushing it uphill with its potential coalition partner, Labour. Because Labour has said time and time again that it’s not interested in a wealth tax.

James Shaw won't be be deterred, though. He thinks that, if the Greens get enough votes, they could get this across the line. But he would say that, wouldn’t he?

But there is something I think we could do to improve the state of teeth in New Zealand. And it wouldn’t cost anything like a free dental service. And it would have an impact on everyone. And that’s fluoridation of all water supplies.

Which is happening on a bit of an ad-hoc basis, at the moment. The Government wants it everywhere. We don’t have fluoride in the water in Christchurch yet. But it will be a good thing when it is.

Because if we are serious about oral health, putting fluoride in our drinking water is a much better option than pouring truckloads of money into a  national dental service which, I don’t believe, would achieve what the Green party thinks it would.

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