UPDATED: 8.11AM A change to water fluoridation is being welcomed as a good start, but more is needed.

LISTEN ABOVE: Dentist Dr Stan Litras discusses fluoride with Mike Hosking 

MORE: DHBs given more power to decide on fluoridation 

Local councils used to be in charge of whether to fluoridate, but the Government is changing that, so that District Health Boards make the decision instead.

Labour's health spokesperson Annette King said it's a good call, but the DHBs need more backup from the Government.

She said the Ministry of Health should set a national standard for water fluoridation, which the DHBs would only need to implement.

Ms King said DHBs "could face pressure from the community as local government did", and this would help them deal with that.

Dentist and founder of the fluoride information network Stan Litras told Mike Hosking it could lead to one blanket rule for the whole country.

He doesn't want that because he says different communities have different needs.

"Take Christchurch -- who has very good tooth decay levels compared to the rest of the country -- they don't have fluoride in their water, why should they have it now."