Sir, - In her oversensitive haste to defend her company's wholesome product, Dr Eithne Cahill (May 24th) has overlooked the fact that in no way was implying that cereals, per se, contributed to dental decay, but rather the honey/chocolate/glucose/sugar coatings with which so many of them are now covered and to which children have become increasingly addicted, that cause the damage to which I referred. I have no doubt that old Mr Kellogg himself, health guru that he was, would back my view.
Having worked on the coal face of dentistry for the past 25 years in Australia, Britain and Ireland, I can vouch for the fact that the increased sales of sugarcoated cereals are causing tooth decay and I will continue to advise my young patients and their parents of this fact. - Yours etc
Community Dental Surgeon, Navan, Co Meath.