Fluoride misinformation risking regional Queenslanders' health
The lack of fluoridated water supply across the state is further contributing to the growing health disparity between metropolitan and rural Queensland, AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim told 4RO radio. "Majority of the fluoride water is actually in Southeast Queensland. So that means people in regional and rural Queensland are missing out."

Transcript: AMA Queensland President, Dr Nick Yim, 4RO, Breakfast with Dales Whyte, Thursday 16 January 2025
Subjects: Water fluoridation
DALES WHYTE: Good morning to Dr Nick Yim from AMA Queensland. You are the President. Welcome to 4RO.
DR NICK YIM: Good morning.
DALES WHYTE: Now we're going to talk about fluoride. Is it good? Is it bad? Does it make a difference? Why are so many councils banning it?
DR NICK YIM: That's a really good question. Fluoride itself, it's been in our society for many years now, since the 1940s actually, and it's something that has been proven to prevent dental decay within the population. Across Australia, 90 per cent of our population has fluoride in their water supplies. But unfortunately, in Queensland we've actually dropped down to 70 per cent, and the majority of the fluoride water is actually in Southeast Queensland. So that means people in regional and rural Queensland are missing out.
DALES WHYTE: Both major centres – we have quite a few centres in our listening area – but both major centres, Rockhampton and Gladstone City Councils, have voted to do away with fluoride.
DR NICK YIM: That's really disappointing. AMA Queensland and the Australian Dental Association of Queensland (ADAQ), we've been communicating to council and the state government to ensure that we are listening and making government decisions based on clinical evidence. And the evidence is crystal clear that fluoride in the water supply at those very low amounts has been shown to prevent dental decay. What we're seeing, unfortunately, in areas without fluoride is rising dental decay that leads to dental infections, that continues to add pressure to our healthcare system.
DALES WHYTE: I noticed that, and this is going back to when Rocky got rid of fluoride, Councillor Glenda Mather was opposing the thought of fluoride in our water supply. She said there's no scientific evidence to prove it actually works.
DR NICK YIM: So, it’s been proven that there is a significant amount of evidence. This is from the World Health Organisation. There's been countless university studies, not just from Australia but around the world, that shows fluoride does improve children's teeth. At the same time, since we have seen the removal of fluoride in some councils, there is a growing disparity between metropolitan and rural Queensland.
DALES WHYTE: Are you saying that metropolitan is, and we're saying southeast corner essentially of Queensland, have now got better teeth than the rest of us because of the fluoride drop?
DR NICK YIM: Put simply, yes. I think that's the one thing that has been changed. Obviously, there's many factors involved, so fluoride is one component. Eating healthily, regular toothbrushing and regular check-ups with dentists will prevent dental issues down the track. But [fluoride] is one component that's different between metropolitan areas and the regions.
DALES WHYTE: Why do you think, Dr Yim, there is this hesitancy to put fluoride into our water in so many minds around Queensland?
DR NICK YIM: I think it's something where unfortunately with the digital age there's a lot of information around on the internet and social media. But at the same time, there is a lot of misinformation and that potentially could be leading to public fear and distrust to fluoridation. From our perspective, from AMA Queensland and ADAQ, what we want is for people, councillors and our elected leaders to look at the actual evidence and determine the decision from that perspective as opposed to opinion.
DALES WHYTE: Is there any, and I'm leaving it open to anything at all, any negative impact from putting fluoride in our waters?
DR NICK YIM: In putting fluoride in the water, there is no evidence to show that it does any harm. However, at very high doses it could cause staining of the teeth, which is a reason why it is regulated at the dose that is needed in our water supplies.
DALES WHYTE: I noticed that one of the councillors who voted against it in Gladstone is now coming out and saying - ‘I wish I had voted for it’ - so maybe we'll be able to get our councils to have another vote on that particular subject. Dr Yim, thank you for your time this morning.
DR NICK YIM: No worries. Always a pleasure.
Contact: AMA Queensland Media, +61 419 735 641, media@amaq.com.a