Early Childhood Caries - a major public health problem

Abstract

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent diseases. It causes pain, sepsis and is expensive to treat. It affects all ages, occurring from the youngest age. Dental caries is of medical, social and econo micimportance. Yet the causes of dental caries are well-known and prevention is possible. Why, then, is it not prevented? Because it is a life-style disease with risk factors common to many other non-communicable diseases. Prevention requires changes in behaviour at the individual level but particularly changes in the environment in which families live. Dental caries can destroy teeth of the infant and young child at an alarming rate, and it is now recognised that the factors responsible are rather unique to the environment of the infant and young child. Because of its rapid onset and its diverse aetiology, it has earned the name ‘Early Childhood Caries’.