PARENTS have a multitude of responsibilities to their children. They do not start and end at keeping them fed, clothed, warm and turning up to school on time.

Caring for their teeth is a key life skill, yet it appears too many of the parents in the city and in the north of the county are failing their children.

There will not be one single common cause, yet parents are the single factor for the appalling state of our children’s teeth.

Dentists have told us there may be some cultural issues and the non-fluoridation of our water supply is also being blamed.

There is, if we are honest, also the factor that too many parents take the easy route when it comes to feeding their children.

Sugary processed foods and drinks are teeth killers.

As with all aspects of diet, variety and balance is key.

Scooping armfuls of ready-to-go food and drink and shovelling it into little Johnny’s satchel and then not making him brush properly is failing your child.

And that type of attitude, where good oral hygiene is not valued, then tumbles down the generations.

As a parent you could fix that.

As a parent you must.