Global Early Childhood Caries: A Review of Literature

Authors

  • Ashish Shrestha BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3449-7134
  • Ha Hoang University of Tasmania, Australia
  • Suzanne Gardner University of Adelaide, Australia
  • Archana Pradhan University of Queensland, Australia
  • Leonard Crocombe University of Tasmania, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/nmcj.v23i3.40418

Keywords:

Early childhood caries, global, prevalence, risk factors

Abstract

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a major public health concern in the world. There is a high prevalence of ECC in developing countries. The review aimed to synthesise the published literature on the global prevalence of ECC and its associated factors. Researches conducted in Asian, European, American and African countries were included. The review included observational cross-sectional, case-control, cohort studies, and clinical trials. The ECC varies across countries and the continents. Several studies showed inequitable distribution of ECC within regions of a country. The result of this review provides global prevalence of ECC and associated risk factors. Despite the variation of prevalence of ECC, it remains a universal burden. Studies have demonstrated that even in developed countries, ECC represents a significant burden in preschool children. The S. mutans and , oral hygiene habits, breastfeeding and bottle feeding along with factors such as parental education are major risk factors for ECC. There have been limited studies conducted on ECC in Nepal.

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Author Biographies

Ashish Shrestha, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal

Department of Public Health Dentistry

Ha Hoang, University of Tasmania, Australia

Centre for Rural Health, College of Health Sciences and Medicine

Suzanne Gardner, University of Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide Dental School

Archana Pradhan, University of Queensland, Australia

School of Dentistry

Leonard Crocombe, University of Tasmania, Australia

Centre for Rural Health, College of Health Sciences and Medicine

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Published

2021-10-17

How to Cite

Shrestha, A., Hoang, H., Gardner, S., Pradhan, A., & Crocombe, L. (2021). Global Early Childhood Caries: A Review of Literature. Nepal Medical College Journal, 23(3), 264–271. https://doi.org/10.3126/nmcj.v23i3.40418

Issue

Section

Review Articles