Risk factors during first year of life for early childhood caries

Early childhood caries describes dental caries affecting children 71 months of age or younger. The prevalence of decay in children of this age is relatively high, ranging 28–82% depending on the population studied. Despite this the care-index (or proportion of teeth restored) is very low, perhaps not surprisingly largely as a result of the behavioural management issues surrounding this age group.

The risks of untreated early childhood caries include pain, poor sleeping habits, altered eating habits and failure to thrive; therefore, many of these children end up being treated under general anaesthetic, which does not come without its risks. Targeted preventative care is therefore critical. However, in order to provide effective prevention advice it is important to fully understand how the risk factors interrelate and why some children suffer a greater burden of disease than others. The authors of this month's research summary suggest that this is an area where key information is lacking, particularly in relation to the infant's oral environment prior to, and during, early tooth eruption. This research summary describes a systematic literature review of early childhood caries during the first year of life. The authors ask the overall research question ‘What factors occurring during an infant's first year of life influence the initiation and progression of early childhood caries?’