SIR, Having read Liz Vaughan's comments on fluoridation in the Westmorland Gazette on May 16, I can relate to potential health problems caused by fluoride.

Conventional toothpaste, containing fluoride and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), for example, can adversely affect the balance in the mouth. There may be a connection between toothpaste and bowel disorders such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

We can have a choice on either conventional or natural toothpaste but we have to fight the Government to protect our health in years to come.

Water is not simply H2O. Natural water provides significant quantities of minerals. Approximately a quarter of all British tap water contains pesticides at levels above maximum admissible concentration set by the EC for our safety. Filtering or distilling water removes not only the impurities, but also many of the naturally occurring minerals.

Consequently, in order to avoid the fluoride in our water, we would have to lose vital minerals in the process. The usefulness of fluoride has been doubted worldwide for a long time. Over the years, at least 12 Nobel Prize-winners in Medicine and Chemistry have warned of the associated health risks.

Fluoride causes tooth and bone decalcification, known as fluorosis. It is very reactive and goes deep into the bones and cells where it is accumulated. Research found it can cause joint problems, skeletal deformation and osteoporosis.

It has a negative influence on the nervous and immune systems. In children, it can lead to chronic fatigue, a lower IQ, learning disabilities, lethargy and depression.

Carole Walker, Windermere

May 29, 2003 15:00