EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a major health concern that continues to negatively affect the oral health of infants and children today. Dental caries is a chronic disease that in children is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.1 Even with caries prevalence declining in the permanent dentition decay prevalence in primary teeth is on the rise.2 Approximately 40% of children have dental caries by the age of five and 8% of two year old children have some form of decay or previous restoration(s).1-2 Left untreated carious lesions can lead to expensive treatment disruption of growth and development pain and life threatening infections.