In response to Tony Fallowfield's reply to my letter about water fluoridation, I would like to make the following points.

I am on no medication and was not - unlike, I suspect, Mr Fallowfield - in a state of hysteria when writing my letter and find it disturbing that a dental surgeon should support the gross misuse of the public water system to mass medicate the populace when it exists only to provide safe, drinkable water.

The naturally occurring fluoride which occurs in many parts of the UK and other areas of the world is calcium fluoride, whereas that proposed to poison our water is hexafluorisilicic acid, which is 25 times more toxic.

Apparently, Mr Fallowfield is unaware of this. However, all fluorides are poisonous and even the calcium fluoride in the water of parts of India at only three parts per million has resulted in six million children being unable to walk due to bone deformities.

The claim that artificial water fluoridation has safely reduced dental decay is completely without foundation.

The Swiss city of Basle recently stopped water fluoridation after 41 years.

The dangers of fluorosis to bones and teeth had been played down and the possible effects on babies and children were particularly worrying.

Please do your homework, Mr Fallowfield.

-Graham Parfitt, Brighton