A girl had 12 teeth extracted after her mother gave her only cordial to drink and failed to take her to a dentist for more than three years.
The girl came to the attention of a school dental worker when she was aged six, who advised her mother to take her to a dentist.
But repeated calls and letters went unanswered and the girl had 12 teeth removed this year when she was taken into child safety custody, aged nine.
Ipswich District Court in Queensland, Australia, heard that in November 2006 the girl had a gum abscess which was draining pus.
Crown prosecutor Clayton Wallis said as well as a poor diet, the girl’s toothbrush was kept on a hard-to-reach bench.
The girl found eating painful and was very embarrassed about her 15 badly decaying teeth.
The Australian Dental Association says 5% of Australian children have extensive early childhood caries.
