For the first four years of my life I lived in Dubbo and Trangie.

In early 1955, my family moved to Port Macquarie because my father found the climate beneficial to my health.

Not long after arriving, my mother took my sister and I to the dentist. Both of us had sound teeth not requiring any fillings.

It was understood back then that in Dubbo and Trangie the water contained natural fluoride obtained from the weathering of rocks.

The fact that my sister and I needed no fillings was attributed to the benefits of drinking water with fluoride.

Unfortunately, by the time we reached nine years of age our teeth had deteriorated to such an extent we spent most days at the dentist getting fillings.

It was not a pleasant way to spend your holidays. At that time, Port Macquarie did not have a reticulated water supply.

Each house had a tank that supplied their drinking water. I attribute my teeth problems to the lack of fluoride in my regime.

There appears to be a "negative group" in our society. They are anti vaccinations and anti fluoridation.

In the 1950s vaccination was an important issue. We were marched three abreast down to the old civic centre to get our polio and diphtheria needles.

In the late 60s Sabin vaccine was given. We even had TB antigen injections too. There were no problems back then.

A group of people have the view that fluoridation is detrimental to health. They confuse the difference between fluorine and fluoride.

Fluorine is a nasty element. Fluoride is added in a different form as a compound which is safe.

It is added to water at less than 1 mg per litre which is not harmful.

Table salt (NaCl) contains sodium which is the second most active metal and chlorine.

We all know how dangerous chlorine gas was in WWI. We also chlorinate our pool water usually with sodium hyperchlorite or use a chlorinator to convert swimming pool salt to chlorinate our water. No one jumps up and down about chlorine.

Dentists are the trusted members of our community who understand the value of adding fluoride to our town water. Also they advocate the use of toothpaste containing fluoride.

We do not need to fund a referendum on this issue. It is a gross waste of money. If the anti flouridation group want to object, let them lodge their own court case at their own expense to amend the Therapeutics Act.

Peter Willerd

Port Macquarie