The Green Party has said it would end the fluoridation of the State's water supplies if elected to government.
John Gormley
Health spokesman John Gormley said that water fluoridation had reached its sell-by date and that the latest international research meant that the practice was no longer tenable.
Speaking in Dublin, Mr Gormley said: "The latest advice from the American Dental Association tells parents to avoid using fluoridated water when bottle feeding babies because of the dangers of fluorosis - the staining and pitting of teeth which can result from overexposure to fluoride.
"There has been a huge increase in fluorosis in Ireland in the last decade. And as it is wholly impractical for mothers to source non-fluoridated water, it is prudent to stop water fluoridation immediately."
Green Party candidate for Dublin Central, Patricia McKenna, added: "Sources of fluoride have increased dramatically since Ireland's water was first fluoridated, yet the Department of Health has failed to carry out a single study - despite repeated promises - on total fluoride intake.
"People should have a choice on what food and medication they consume."
Green Party Cllr Tony McDermott called for the setting up of a chief dental officer post "to deal with the tooth decay problem by tackling the causes - junk food and the advertising of unhealthy food to our children".
But the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health has stated there is no scientific evidence worldwide to suggest that it causes any ill medical effects. It added there is overwhelming scientific evidence to support the safety and efficacy of water fluoridation in Ireland.
The organisation said there is no health risk to any member of society, including babies, from consumption of fluoride in breast milk, infant formula, water or foods at the levels of fluoride observed in Ireland.
It expressed concern on the confusion regarding potential health risks associated with the use of fluoridated water to reconstitute baby formula and states these concerns are unfounded.
"It is inadvisable for people to switch from using tap water to bottled water to make up infant formula," the body said in a statement. "Bottled water is generally not advised for use other than in exceptional circumstances such as where home water is unfit to drink."
According to Dr Seamus O'Hickey, chairman of the expert body, the World Health Organization last month renewed its call for governments throughout the world to consider using water fluoridation as an efficient public health measure.
"In the absence of water fluoridation, we could expect to see the average five-year old child in the Republic of Ireland having four to five more decayed, missing or filled teeth," he predicted.
Mr O'Hickey added that dental fluorosis is not a disease; "It is a cosmetic condition which refers to the way teeth look . . . [in Ireland] any incidence of dental fluorosis is likely to be mild and in most cases only detectable by a dental practitioner as faint white flecks on the surface of teeth."