The dentist

There are so many dentist offices in this country. Many of them are advertised with cute animals like these guys.
Everyone brushes their teeth three times a day. Kids keep toothbrushes at school and have a designated brushing time after lunch, one of my schools even has a song to guide the kids to which teeth to brush- to make sure they cover everything. YET kids still have gross teeth. I've had kids with black teeth. I know people with no teeth because they have all rotted away. I know people whose teeth have all rotted away so they got dentures (both of those were still teenagers). That's crazy, right?
They don't add fluoride to water, nor do most toothpastes have them. Based on the fruity-bubble-gummy smells of some toothpastes I wonder if they may even contain sugar to make it more palatable.
I've heard that some dentists don't fill-in cavities in baby teeth, since they'll fall out soon anyway. I heard that maybe some cavity medicine is black. I don't know, but black and rotting teeth are gross.

My black-teeth sightings have decreased since I've been here, either I've come to not notice or kids teeth are healthier.