Publication - FOI/EIR release

Fluoride product distribution, risk and safeguarding queries: FOI release

Published: 12 January 2026
Directorate: Primary Care Directorate
Topic: Health and social care, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/202500485277
Date received: 18 September 2025
Date responded: 16 October 2025

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Information requested

1. Fluoride Product Distribution in Child Health Programmes

Documents outlining the rationale for distributing fluoride toothpaste and varnish to children under NHS-led programmes, including Childsmile.
Internal guidance, policy documents, or correspondence regarding fluoride product procurement, dosage, and age-group targeting.
Documentation clarifying the lawful basis for distributing fluoride products to minors without explicit informed consent.

2. Neurotoxicity Risk and Scientific Review

Internal memos, toxicology reviews, or health risk assessments discussing the neurodevelopmental impact of fluoride exposure in children.
Consideration of peer-reviewed studies such as Bashash et al. (2017, 2019), Grandjean et al. (2021), or other research linking fluoride to IQ reduction.
Correspondence with Public Health Scotland, UKHSA, MHRA, or other bodies regarding fluoride safety and neurotoxicity concerns.

3. Safeguarding, Consent, and Parental Notification

Consent protocols or parental notification procedures tied to fluoride product distribution in nurseries, schools, or dental outreach programmes.
Safeguarding assessments or DPIAs conducted in relation to fluoride exposure in children.
Documentation clarifying whether fluoride administration is opt-in, opt-out, or presumed consent.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the majority of the information you have requested. While the Scottish Government funds the national child oral health improvement programme, Childsmile, NHS Scotland is responsible for the ownership, management and delivery of the Programme.

You may therefore wish to contact the NHS Childsmile programme team, who may be able to provide a fuller response. Contact details for the Childsmile team can be found on the Programme’s website at: https://www.childsmile.nhs.scot/contact-us/.

We have completed our search and I enclose a copy of the documents which are relevant to your request. It should be noted that as your request did not specify a timeframe, some of this information is dated and is likely to have been superseded by updated information published or held elsewhere.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of this information. This exemption applies to personal data such as names as their disclosure would contravene data protection principles.

In addition, any information within the documents found that is out with the scope of your request, has been redacted.

Section 25 (1) of FOISA has also been applied. This exemption applies as whilst completing our search it was found that some of the information could be obtained through means other than a formal Freedom of Information request as it is publicly available to view online. While you have not specifically requested this information, it has been identified as being within the scope of your request therefore we have provided links in the Annex of the response.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we are not obliged to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me and I will send you a paper copy. This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', therefore we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

One of the documents identified from our search has been exempted under Section 27 of FOISA. This exemption applies because the information is intended for future publication within the next 12 weeks. This exemption has been subjected to the ‘public interest test’, which determined that the exemption should apply.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.