Update on Early Childhood Caries Since the Surgeon General's Report

Abstract

The 2000 Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health (SGROH) included a limited discussion of the condition known as Early Childhood Caries (ECC). Because of its high prevalence, its impact on young children's quality of life and potential for increasing their risk of caries in the permanent dentition, ECC is arguably one of the most serious and costly health conditions among young children. A necessary first step in preventing dental caries in preschool children is understanding and evaluating the child's caries risk factors. Previous caries experience and white spot lesions should automatically classify a preschool child as high risk for caries. Microbial factors, such as presence of visible plaque and tests that identify a child as having high levels of mutans streptococci also predict caries in young children. Frequency of sugar consumption, enamel developmental defects, social factors such as socioeconomic status, psychosocial factors, and being an ethnic minority also have shown to be relevant in determining caries risk. Based on this knowledge of specific risk factors for an individual, different preventive strategies as well as different intensities of preventive therapies can be employed. Caries preventive strategies in preschool children include fluoride therapy, such as supervised tooth brushing with fluoridated dentifrice, systemic fluoride supplement to children living in a non-fluoridated area that are at risk for caries, and professional topical fluoride with fluoride varnish. There is emerging evidence that intensive patient counseling or motivational interviews with parents to change specific behaviors may reduce caries prevalence in their children. Findings regarding antimicrobial interventions, efforts to modify diets, and traditional dental health education are less consistent.

Are Maternal Factors Predictors for Early Childhood Caries? Results from a Cohort in Southern Brazil

“…However, in this low socioeconomic sample, the mothers from the wealthier tertile had a decreased likelihood of presenting offspring with a high level of caries. Children from low socioeconomic status are likely to have more ECC at the preschool age (24). The similarity of low socioeconomic status in this sample of adolescent mothers may be considered a limitation of this study, since it could impair the observation of potential associations.…”

Differential Impacts of Caries Classification in Children and Adults: A Comparison of ICDAS and DMF-T

“…Several epidemiological population-based studies have demonstrated a significant decrease in caries worldwide, a fact that is not demonstrated when the object of the study are preschool children (3). Well-designed epidemiological studies provide a picture of the population and are important tools in defining the distribution of funds for oral health programs and the implementation of preventive policies by stakeholders (4).…”

Cariogenic Potential of the commonly Prescribed Pediatric Liquid Medicaments in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An in vitro Study

“…14,15 It is a disease of the calcified tissues of the teeth caused by the action of microorganisms on fermentable carbohydrates. Sugars are known to be the principal etiologic agent for dental caries.…”