title: Early childhood caries update: A review of causes, diagnoses, and treatments.
abstract: Dental caries (decay) is an international public health challenge, especially amongst young children. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a serious public health problem in both developing and industrialized countries. ECC can begin early in life, progresses rapidly in those who are at high risk, and often goes untreated. Its consequences can affect the immediate and long-term quality of life of the child's family and can have significant social and economic consequences beyond the immediate family as well. ECC can be a particularly virulent form of caries, beginning soon after dental eruption, developing on smooth surfaces, progressing rapidly, and having a lasting detrimental impact on the dentition. Children experiencing caries as infants or toddlers have a much greater probability of subsequent caries in both the primary and permanent dentitions. The relationship between breastfeeding and ECC is likely to be complex and confounded by many biological variables, such as mutans streptococci, enamel hypoplasia, intake of sugars, as well as social variables, such as parental education and socioeconomic status, which may affect oral health. Unlike other infectious diseases, tooth decay is not self-limiting. Decayed teeth require professional treatment to remove infection and restore tooth function. In this review, we give detailed information about ECC, from its diagnosis to management.
authors: Kirikkale University Dental Faculty, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Kirikkale, Turkey.
authors: Hakan
authors: H
authors: Colak
authors: Coruh T
authors: CT
authors: Dülgergil
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Dalli
authors: Mehmet Mustafa
authors: MM
authors: Hamidi
keywords: Early childhood caries; etiology; feeding; fluoride
references: Acad Pediatr. 2009 Nov-Dec;9(6):396-403
references: 19945074
references: Spec Care Dentist. 2003 Sep-Oct;23(5):180-6
references: 14965184
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1998;26(1 Suppl):32-44
references: 9671198
references: Caries Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;38(2):142-8
references: 14767171
references: Pediatr Dent. 1999 Mar-Apr;21(2):109-13
references: 10197335
references: J Dent. 1998 Mar;26(3):209-18
references: 9594472
references: Pediatr Dent. 2003 Nov-Dec;25(6):546-52
references: 14733468
references: Pediatr Dent. 1999 Nov-Dec;21(7):409-16
references: 10633512
references: Pediatr Dent. 2008-2009;30(7 Suppl):40-3
references: 19216381
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 2004 Jun;135(6):731-8
references: 15270155
references: Blood. 1992 Oct 1;80(7):1639-47
references: 1391934
references: Caries Res. 1985;19(4):289-97
references: 3861249
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1976 Mar;4(2):66-9
references: 1062253
references: Curr Hematol Rep. 2003 Mar;2(2):116-21
references: 12901142
references: Caries Res. 1995;29(6):449-54
references: 8556747
references: Bull World Health Organ. 2005 Sep;83(9):642
references: 16211149
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001 Feb;29(1):14-22
references: 11153558
references: Pediatr Clin North Am. 2000 Oct;47(5):1021-42, v-vi
references: 11059348
references: Pediatr Dent. 1988 Dec;10(4):268-82
references: 3078603
references: Community Dent Health. 2002 Dec;19(4):224-9
references: 12489836
references: J Can Dent Assoc. 1988 Oct;54(10):751-8
references: 3052718
references: Arch Oral Biol. 1985;30(4):377-9
references: 3857909
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 2003 Dec;134(12):1630-40
references: 14719761
references: Acta Odontol Scand. 2004 Oct;62(5):251-7
references: 15841811
references: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(3):CD002279
references: 12137653
references: ASDC J Dent Child. 1997 Mar-Apr;64(2):112-7
references: 9189000
references: World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2003;916:i-viii, 1-149, backcover
references: 12768890
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2006 Dec;34(6):437-45
references: 17092272
references: Caries Res. 2001 May-Jun;35(3):186-92
references: 11385198
references: Dent Update. 2007 Nov;34(9):556-8, 561-2, 564
references: 18087926
references: Clin Oral Investig. 2000 Mar;4(1):31-4
references: 11218513
references: J Can Dent Assoc. 2003 May;69(5):304-7
references: 12734024
references: J Investig Clin Dent. 2012 Aug;3(3):167-75
references: 22318776
references: J Dent Res. 2004;83 Spec No C:C39-42
references: 15286120
references: Int J Paediatr Dent. 2004 Sep;14(5):336-46
references: 15330999
references: Caries Res. 2004 May-Jun;38(3):286-93
references: 15153702
references: Caries Res. 2010;44(4):402-7
references: 20714152
references: Caries Res. 2001 Sep-Oct;35(5):376-83
references: 11641574
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2009 Jun;37(3):241-9
references: 19508271
references: Niger Med J. 2012 Jan;53(1):1-8
references: 23271836
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1997 Dec;25(6):438-43
references: 9429817
references: BMC Public Health. 2007 Jul 24;7:167
references: 17650296
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2003 Apr;31(2):81-9
references: 12641587
references: Acta Odontol Scand. 1996 Apr;54(2):131-7
references: 8739147
references: Community Dent Health. 2002 Dec;19(4):237-42
references: 12489838
references: J Dent Res. 1992 Dec;71(12):1926-33
references: 1452896
references: Int J Circumpolar Health. 2007 Apr;66(2):153-67
references: 17515255
references: Crit Rev Oral Biol Med. 1991;2(3):283-96
references: 1892991
references: J Public Health Dent. 1999 Summer;59(3):192-7
references: 10649591
references: J Public Health Dent. 1987 Spring;47(2):94-7
references: 3471967
references: Med Princ Pract. 2005 Jul-Aug;14(4):277-80
references: 15961941
references: J Appl Oral Sci. 2009 Jul-Aug;17(4):307-14
references: 19668990
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1998;26(1 Suppl):5-7
references: 9671195
references: J Public Health Dent. 1999 Summer;59(3):171-91
references: 10649590
references: Public Health Rep. 1997 Jul-Aug;112(4):319-29; 330-1
references: 9258297
references: J Public Health Dent. 1996 Spring;56(2):81-3
references: 8863291
references: J Public Health Dent. 2003 Summer;63(3):183-8
references: 12962472
references: Am Fam Physician. 2004 Dec 1;70(11):2113-20
references: 15606059
references: ASDC J Dent Child. 1994 Sep-Dec;61(5-6):338-41
references: 7897002
references: Oral Microbiol Immunol. 1988 Mar;3(1):14-7
references: 3268743
references: J Dent Educ. 2001 Oct;65(10):960-8
references: 11699997
references: Scand J Dent Res. 1989 Apr;97(2):126-9
references: 2704975
references: Dent Clin North Am. 2000 Jul;44(3):487-505
references: 10925770
references: Pediatr Dent. 1994 Nov-Dec;16(6):413-8
references: 7854947
references: Am J Dent. 1996 Oct;9(5):184-90
references: 9545901
references: Caries Res. 2001;35 Suppl 1:26-9
references: 11359054
references: Am J Clin Nutr. 1985 Feb;41(2 Suppl):423-35
references: 3918434
references: Arch Oral Biol. 1984;29(6):453-60
references: 6589988
references: J Dent Educ. 2001 Oct;65(10):1133-42
references: 11699990
references: Br Dent J. 2001 Apr 14;190(7):381-4
references: 11338042
references: Int J Paediatr Dent. 2004 Mar;14(2):101-10
references: 15005698
references: ASDC J Dent Child. 1980 Mar-Apr;47(2):102-8
references: 6928858
references: J R Soc Med. 1986;79 Suppl 14:11-4
references: 3543352
references: ASDC J Dent Child. 2002 Sep-Dec;69(3):319-24, 236
references: 12613320
references: Caries Res. 1998;32(1):46-50
references: 9438571
references: Infect Immun. 1988 Dec;56(12):3216-20
references: 3182079
references: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(1):CD002781
references: 14973992
references: Arch Oral Biol. 1984;29(11):949-51
references: 6596042
references: Pediatr Dent. 2005 Jan-Feb;27(1):28-33
references: 15839392
references: Pediatr Clin North Am. 2000 Oct;47(5):1001-19, v
references: 11059347
references: Adv Dent Res. 2008 Jul 01;20(1):3-7
references: 18694869
references: Pediatrics. 2005 Dec;116(6):1303-8
references: 16322151
references: Caries Res. 1999;33(2):123-9
references: 9892779
references: Br Dent J. 2006 Nov 25;201(10):625-6
references: 17128231
references: J Dent Educ. 2001 Oct;65(10):1028-37
references: 11699974
references: J Paediatr Child Health. 2006 Jan-Feb;42(1-2):37-43
references: 16487388
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1998;26(1 Suppl):49-61
references: 9671200
references: Compend Contin Educ Dent. 1998 Feb;19(2):164-8, 170-1
references: 9656863
references: Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2008 Sep;9(3):114-25
references: 18793593
references: J Dent Res. 1993 Jan;72(1):37-45
references: 8418105
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2000 Aug;28(4):241-8
references: 10901402
references: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD003517
references: 11869667
references: Caries Res. 2004 May-Jun;38(3):277-85
references: 15153701
references: Oral Dis. 2001 Mar;7(2):71-80
references: 11355442
references: Int J Paediatr Dent. 1993 Sep;3(3):135-40
references: 8260461
references: Arch Oral Biol. 2007 Aug;52(8):748-52
references: 17321488
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2003 Feb;31(1):15-20
references: 12542428
references: Caries Res. 2004;38 Suppl 1:3-8
references: 14685018
references: J Dent Educ. 2001 Oct;65(10):1162-8
references: 11699994
references: Bull World Health Organ. 2005 Sep;83(9):670-6
references: 16211158
references: J Dent Res. 1989 Jul;68(7):1155-61
references: 2632600
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1994 Feb;22(1):1-5
references: 8143435
references: Pediatr Dent. 2003 Nov-Dec;25(6):594-600
references: 14733478
references: Infect Immun. 1985 Apr;48(1):51-6
references: 2984124
references: Pediatr Nurs. 2011 Jan-Feb;37(1):9-15; quiz 16
references: 21485616
references: J Public Health Dent. 1996 Winter;56(1):38-50
references: 8667317
references: J Public Health Dent. 2000 Summer;60(3):159-66
references: 11109213
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 1999 Dec;130(12):1787-92
references: 10599184
references: Int J Paediatr Dent. 2011 Jul;21(4):249-53
references: 21401749
references: Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1985 Nov 9;291(6505):1297-8
references: 3933640
references: J Dent Res. 2006 Jan;85(1):85-8
references: 16373687
references: Int J Paediatr Dent. 2008 Nov;18 Suppl 1:20-8
references: 18808544
references: Pediatr Dent. 1986 Jun;8(3):168-70
references: 3461431
references: Community Dent Health. 2004 Jun;21(2):175-80
references: 15228208
references: Caries Res. 2010;44(5):453-8
references: 20838044
references: Caries Res. 2002 Jul-Aug;36(4):294-300
references: 12218280
references: Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2008 Oct;106(4):542-7
references: 18602310
references: Arch Oral Biol. 1975 Nov;20(11):725-30
references: 1061524
references: J Public Health Dent. 2008 Spring;68(2):94-101
references: 18248339
references: Eur J Oral Sci. 1996 Aug;104(4 ( Pt 2)):416-22; discussion 423-5, 430-2
references: 8930592
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 2009 Jun;140(6):650-7
references: 19491160
references: Pediatr Dent. 1998 Nov-Dec;20(7):395-403
references: 9866143
references: Pediatr Dent. 1992 Sep-Oct;14(5):302-5
references: 1303533
references: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008 Jul 11;57(27):737-41
references: 18614991
references: Gen Dent. 2010 Nov-Dec;58(6):505-17; quiz 518-9
references: 21062720
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1998;26(1 Suppl):106-16
references: 9671208
references: Community Dent Health. 2003 Dec;20(4):211-6
references: 14696739
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2000 Dec;28(6):399-406
references: 11106011
references: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1998 Feb;26(1):31-6
references: 9511839
references: Int J Paediatr Dent. 2001 Nov;11(6):430-9
references: 11759103
references: ASDC J Dent Child. 1999 Nov-Dec;66(6):395-403, 366
references: 10656122
references: J Dent Res. 1982 Feb;61(2):382-5
references: 6948854
references: J Public Health Dent. 1996;56(3 Spec No):135-40; discussion 161-3
references: 8915958
references: Acta Odontol Scand. 2003 Dec;61(6):347-55
references: 14960006
references: Dent Clin North Am. 1999 Oct;43(4):615-33
references: 10553247