Lack of dental care

At no point in Policies, not pliers, needed to fix dental rot (Nov 21) did columnist Lana

Hart point out that the state of your teeth is totally up to how you care for them.

I have friends in the dental nurse ranks and they are very disturbed by parents’ lack of care by of their children’s teeth. Because, let’s be clear, a 3-year-old does not do a good job of cleaning their own teeth.

A combination of being given sweet drinks and foods and no cleaning is the cause of young children having their teeth removed surgically.

Dental care for children is free until they are 18, but many don’t show up for their appointments, and instructions on tooth care are ignored.

I didn’t see that Lana had any interviews with people who are on the frontline. Surely this is a good place to start to get the facts.

Teresa McClymont, Masterton [abridged]