Dental hygienist Richelle Terrey says nobody would build a house on sand so why do people continue to be less demanding about the health of their own teeth.
Terrey, who is one of several hygienists working at a Wanganui dental practice, is adamant that maintaining good, healthy gums is something everyone should strive for.
She describes herself as a "glorified cleaner" but her role is far more important than that.
"Why would you want to ignore maintaining good oral health? Without that good foundation you can end up spending a small fortune getting your teeth repaired."
She says one of the key age groups that tended to miss out on regular maintenance was those aged between 18 and 25.