The latest statistics for child tooth decay in Bradford are deeply depressing. Coming bottom of a league table of 44 Primary Care Trusts in this region for the number of five-year-olds with rotten teeth is the sort of distinction the city could well do without.

It is disturbing that after all the publicity there has been about tooth care, nearly 70 per cent of Bradford children are affected by decay by their fifth birthday. That represents a fair amount of possible distress for the children concerned in terms of toothache and sleepless nights.

On top of that, as regional dental adviser Dr John Beal points out, they could face potentially life-threatening operations if they need a general anaesthetic for extractions, which invariably involve a slight if negligible risk. There is also, of course, the cost to the NHS of dealing with the problems caused by decay.

Dr Beal cites poverty as one of the key factors in dental decay. Yet regular promotions involving the distribution of free toothbrushes and toothpaste to infants and toddlers reduce the cost to families of making sure their children clean their teeth.

There also appears to be a high degree of ignorance about the dangers of giving children sweet foods and drinks without making sure their teeth are properly brushed afterwards. These new figures suggest that the publicity campaigns are either failing to reach a substantial minority of people or their message is being wilfully ignored.

Clearly more needs to be done to identify and target those families and social groups who need extra education and persuasion to take greater responsibility for the teeth of their children.