Early childhood caries and its impact on general health: Narrative review

Abstract

Objective: To analyze publications about the impact that early childhood caries has on the general health of this group of patients. Materials and methods: A narrative review was conducted that included articles published from 2017 to 2023 in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scielo and Google Scholar. Results: Of the 21 articles selected for the narrative review, it was found that the most frequent problems were: the presence of dental pain, followed by difficulty eating and drinking hot and cold beverages, and finally difficulty sleeping. Conclusion: Early childhood caries is considered a worldwide health problem that affects children under 6 years of age, causing problems both in the oral cavity and in general health, generating phonetic and psychological risks, among others that affect the quality of life of the child and his or her parents or caregivers.