Mobile dentist office helps Calgarians with free check up

A group that provides basic dental check ups for free says a lack of fluoride in Calgary's drinking water is leading to tooth decay in youth.

CALGARY -

A group of dentists and dental hygienists were out helping smiles sparkle on Sunday as part of an annual charity event.

The group, Calgarians for Kids' Health, was in a community centre in Ogden, offering free dental checkups for families.

Many dentists with the organization say tooth decay is increasing among Calgary's youth ever since the city removed fluoride from drinking water.

Without that boost, they say it's more important than ever to maintain proper care of your teeth because if you don't there could be plenty of problems in the future.

"We see children who have dental decay. It is the most prevalent infectious disease in the world in children and it's something we take very seriously because dental decay, if untreated, that bacteria is in their bodies," said Denise Kokaram, a spokesperson for the group.

"It affects them on many levels and we know there are a lot of systemic health impacts from having untreated dental decay."

Voters will be asked whether or not to reintroduce fluoride into Calgary's drinking water system for this month's municipal election.