Dental decay is preventable, and the war on tooth decay starts at their early age. There are a few conditions where the teeth come through poorly formed as a result of a genetic condition or a disturbance which happens around the time of birth but these are in the minority. Most of the children and young people I see have holes which could have been avoided. So is it just a case of eating fewer sweets? Well yes, and no. Yes, because diet is a big factor, but it is not the only one.