Dental Caries in Children as a Public Health Problem – Literature Review

Abstract

Dental caries in children is one of the most common chronic diseases, posing a significant public health problem. Influenced by factors at individual, family, and community levels, the protection of oral health in children faces various challenges. More than 530 million children worldwide suffer from dental caries in the temporary dentition. Despite being largely preventable, dental caries remains the most common chronic disease globally, significantly affecting children from lower socio-economic groups. Dental caries negatively impacts children’s daily lives, causing pain, impaired function, and sleep disturbances. According to public health definitions, a disease qualifies as a public health problem if it meets certain conditions, including high prevalence, significant individual and societal impact, and preventability. Dental caries in children meets these criteria, highlighting the urgent need for effective public health interventions to address this pervasive issue. This review provides comprehensive information on dental caries in children, including its prevalence and the impacts on the child’s life, family, and society, as derived from the latest research studies on this topic.