Early childhood caries prevention strategies globally: narrative review

Abstract

Early childhood caries is a preventable public health problem that affects a large part of the world’s population and can have serious consequences. Objective: To identify public prevention strategies for early childhood caries through a narrative review of the literature. Methodology: a search was carried out using PubMed, Google Scholar, and scientific articles delivered by the advisor. The main search and selection of articles was carried out by analyzing the title, abstract, and then the full text. The present narrative review covered from the year 2017 to 2022 and the search was limited to publications in English and Spanish. Results: Of 139 articles identified, 53 met the inclusion criteria. The evidence shows that a multidisciplinary approach is a strategy that should be promoted since ECC can be prevented, detected, and treated in its first stage by a primary care professional, allowing the costs allocated to its treatment to be reduced. However, deficiencies were found in the monitoring of these programs, which makes it difficult to determine their effectiveness. Conclusion: Public policies guarantee that the implemented programs reach the entire population in a transversal manner, generating a greater impact in the prevention of ECC. For this reason, it is important to research, intervene and monitor public strategies for the prevention of ECC at a global level, to compare them and thus evaluate their modification or replication at a national level, in order to optimize resources, avoid invasive treatments and therapeutic failures.