A few days ago I saw a news story about the incredibly bad dental health of children in eastern Kentucky. The rampant tooth decay there is being blamed partly on their consumption of large amounts of soda (specifically Mountain Dew, which has 50% more caffeine than Coke or Pepsi and is claimed to be "used as a kind of anti-depressant for children in the hills.").
A sad fact in the story is that the Central Appalachian region leads the nation in toothlessness. A bright spot in the story is Dr. Edwin Smith, who travels the area in a mobile dental clinic he financed himself. For many families, this is their only option for seeing a dentist.
Situations like this are the reason the National Children's Oral Health Foundation exists.
