The British Dental Association has welcomed the decision by MPs to give communities the right to choose fluoridated water.

In a vote on Clause 58 of the Water Bill, MPs rejected an outright ban of fluoride schemes by a large margin and similarly voted against a move which would have put the power in the hands of local authorities rather than strategic health authorities.

The Bill then moved to a third reading, giving communities across England and Wales the chance to choose to have fluoride added to their water supplies.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Association, Ian Wylie said that the outcome was good news for the dental health of communities across England and Wales as having fluoride added to their water could make a real difference to the levels of tooth decay and disease.

Under existing legislation, although health authorities can request that local supplies be fluoridated, they cannot compel the water company to do so.

With Clause 58 now in place, the final decision on whether or not to fluoridate water supplies will shift from PLCs to local people.