Early childhood caries (ECC) is a serious and common public health problem affecting young children across the globe. It is prevalent in both developing and developed countries. ECC starts and progresses rapidly in high-risk children. It can lead to various physical, psychosocial and financial consequences for the child and their family, leading to compromised quality of life. There are some factors unique to this type of caries due to the developmental stage and dependence of the child on the mother or caretaker for feeding and oral hygiene practices. The faulty feeding practices can affect the primary dentition severely. ECC also indicates higher risk of caries development in later stages of life.
The disease can be challenging to manage in advanced stages due to limited specialized personnel and resources and behavioral management problems in young children. An effective prevention protocol is our best tool to manage this disease, reducing the burden the healthcare system and society.
Keywords: Early childhood caries (ECC), Etiology, Clinical features, Prevention and management.
