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Review
. 2021 Jan-Feb;14(1):1-7.
doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-1882.

Mapping Evidence on Early Childhood Caries Prevalence: Complexity of Worldwide Data Reporting

Marwa Abdelrahman  1 , Kuei-Ling Hsu  1 , Mary Anne Melo  2 , Vineet Dhar  1 , Norman Tinanoff  1
Affiliations
Review

Mapping Evidence on Early Childhood Caries Prevalence: Complexity of Worldwide Data Reporting

Marwa Abdelrahman et al. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2021 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Objective: This review aims to identify variances and research gaps in the early childhood caries (ECC) prevalence within countries and the global community by mapping current evidence.

Materials and methods: We performed a literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science to identify English-language, peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies published from January 1999 to January 2019. Abstracts and full-text articles were dual-screened based on predefined eligibility criteria. We classified outcomes by children's age and countries based on economic status. Ranges of reported caries prevalence and median values by country and age were calculated and evidence-mapped.

Results: Out of 915 studies, 59 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most significant number of reports were from the USA, Brazil, and India. The ranges of prevalence (1-96%) among the studies were large. The calculated median caries prevalence values may better estimate countries' prevalence than the reported ranges. Early childhood caries prevalence's highest median values were found for South Korea studies (54%) for children <3-year-old and from Bosnia (81%) for children 3-6 years old. No apparent difference was found in the prevalence of ECC from developed and developing countries.

Conclusion: This mapping review reflects the ranges and median values of ECC worldwide. Overall, the reported prevalence of ECC in most countries is very high. No apparent difference was found in the prevalence of ECC from developed and developing countries. Reported ranges of ECC, as well as heterogeneity and methodological issues, hamper comparisons across studies globally.

Clinical significance: The global ECC prevalence ranges are extreme. Median data may provide a structure for future epidemiological studies to optimizing healthcare resources for caries interventions globally.

How to cite this article: Abdelrahaman M, Hsu K-L, Melo MA, et al. Mapping Evidence on Early Childhood Caries Prevalence: Complexity of Worldwide Data Reporting. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(1):1-7.

Keywords: Cross-sectional studies; Dental caries; Global health; Preschool child.

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Conflict of interest statement

Source of support: Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry Conflict of interest: None

Figures

Flowchart 1
Flowchart 1
Flowchart of the search and screening strategy
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Worldwide geographical distribution of the ECC studies that met the criteria for this report
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The range and median values of early childhood caries prevalence among selected developing and developed countries in children <3 years and a 3–6-year-olds. The number next to countries represents the number of studies; horizontal lines within the ranges represent the median values
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The ranges of early childhood caries prevalence chronologically from 1999 to 2019 among developing and developed countries in children for 3-year-olds. No studies on 3 years old children in 2019. The number on top of the bars represents the number of studies; *denotes none or too few studies for a median and range; horizontal lines represent the median values
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The ranges, median and mean values of early childhood caries prevalence among children of different age-groups in three selected countries having numerous ECC reports. The black bars dots within the ranges represent the median values; the horizonal lines represent the means. The median values of each age group from each country are connected. The number on top of the bars represents the number of studies. *denotes none or too few studies for a median and range
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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