Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months)
Breastfeeding beyond 24 months is associated with an increased risk (incidence) of early childhood caries versus not breastfeeding at the same age (RR 2.44, 95% CI 1.97 to 3.02; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk
The intervention showed no clear difference in early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
RR 1.37 [0.89, 2.12]
6 studies
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free
The intervention led to lower serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries experience (mean dmft) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Mean dmft was lowest (1.62 teeth) in low-inequality countries by Gini index.
16 findings from 1 review
Show 13 more findings
MEAN 3.34 [1.79, 4.88]
13 studies
GRADE not reported
MEAN 4.64 [3.38, 5.91]
19 studies
GRADE not reported
MEAN 3.87 [2.84, 4.91]
30 studies
GRADE not reported
MEAN 3.89 [1.62, 6.16]
7 studies
GRADE not reported
MEAN 4.04 [2.39, 5.68]
9 studies
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomesCountries with 71-75 years life expectancy · Life expectancy: 71-75 years
MEAN 5.18
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
MEAN 4.28 [2.58, 5.97]
10 studies
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomesCountries with no income inequality (Gini) · Gini index: no inequalities
MEAN 3.95
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
MEAN 3.08 [2.42, 3.74]
3 studies
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomes49 countries worldwide; urban and rural communities · Overall (all regions)
MEAN 3.68 [2.99, 4.37]
60 studies
GRADE not reported
MEAN 1.13 [0.72, 1.55]
9 studies
GRADE not reported
MEAN 2.26 [0.69, 3.82]
11 studies
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomesCountries with highest life expectancy (>80 years) · Life expectancy: >80 years
MEAN 1.34
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free
The intervention led to lower serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free
The intervention led to lower serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free
The intervention led to lower serum vitamin D (25(OH)D): ECC vs caries-free; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Pooled ECC prevalence in Europe was 36% (95% CI 25-47).
16 findings from 1 review
Show 13 more findings
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomesCountries with no income inequality (Gini) · Gini index: no inequality
Prevalence 62
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 42 [32, 53]
3 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 52 [45, 60]
33 studies
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomes49 countries worldwide; urban and rural communities · Overall (all regions)
Prevalence 49 [44, 55]
67 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 55 [42, 68]
9 studies
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomesCountries with low income inequality (Gini) · Gini index: low inequality
Prevalence 39
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. 2024 All outcomesCountries with highest life expectancy · Life expectancy: highest (>80 years)
Prevalence 28
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 53 [41, 65]
14 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 72 [58, 85]
7 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 57 [36, 77]
5 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 34 [20, 48]
6 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 30 [22, 38]
11 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence 57 [47, 67]
19 studies
GRADE not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children aged ≤6 years (early childhood)
One Nigerian cross-sectional study reported a significant adjusted association between nutritional (stunting) status and ECC (APR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03-0.69); ungraded.
4 findings from 1 review
APR 0.14 [0.03, 0.69]
1 study · 370 participants
GRADE not reported
Correlation (r) -0.091
1 study · 82 participants
GRADE not reported
The bi-directional relationship between growth stunting and early childhood caries: a rapid review. 2023 All outcomes2-year follow-up · Ecuador (rural) · Sokal-Gutierrez et al. 2016 (Ecuador; pre vs post intervention)
Pre/post ECC prevalence, dmft, and deep-caries proportion (2-year follow-up) Age 1: prevalence 53.8% to 30.3%, dmft 2.1 to 0.9; Age 2: prevalence 82% to 60%, dmft 5.3 to 3.0, deep caries 19% to 12% (pre vs post)
1 study · 1575 participants
GRADE not reported
Show 1 more finding
Caries prevalence (early childhood caries) · Toddlers and preschool children, 2 to 6 years of age (primary dentition)
Caesarean section delivery may be associated with a modestly higher prevalence of early childhood caries than vaginal delivery (pooled OR 1.48), but the evidence is inconsistent and of very low certainty.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Healthy children under 6 years of age (6 months to 6 years); preschool children
After excluding an extreme outlier (Alhabdan 2018), the association between low brushing frequency and ECC remained statistically significant (pooled OR approximately 2.0, p=0.003; I2=87.5%); the exact estimate and its CI were not reported; ungraded.
2 findings from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Healthy children under 6 years of age (6 months to 6 years); preschool children
In the primary pooled analysis, late tooth brushing initiation was associated with a non-significant 40% higher odds of early childhood caries (OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.91 to 2.16), with very high heterogeneity (I2=90.5%); ungraded.
2 findings from 1 review
Early childhood caries experience (mean dmft) · Nigerian children with primary dentition (approximately 6 months to 5 years)
In primary dentition, high-frequency sugar consumption was associated with slightly higher, non-significant odds of caries (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.23 to 5.44), with high heterogeneity (I2=83%; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association with genetically predicted expression of CDH17 (chr8q22.1) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
Genetically predicted expression of CDH17 was significantly associated with ECC in the TWAS (p = 3.32e-8); genetic association, ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association at lead SNP rs1044956 (7:24854765; nearest gene(s) OSBPL3, NPVF) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
The common variant rs1044956 near OSBPL3, NPVF showed suggestive (not genome-wide significant) association with ECC (Z = 4.551, p = 5.35e-6); genetic association, ungraded.
2 findings from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association with genetically predicted expression of IGSF5 (chr21q22.2) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
Genetically predicted IGSF5 expression reached the TWAS threshold for ECC (p = 7.22e-5) but was flagged as a possible false positive (LD misspecification) and not further considered; ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association with genetically predicted expression of LACC1 (chr13q14.11) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
Genetically predicted LACC1 expression reached the TWAS threshold for ECC (p = 3.98e-5) but was flagged as a possible false positive (LD misspecification) and not further considered; ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association at lead SNP rs74470773 (3:33958083; nearest gene(s) PDCD6IP) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
The common variant rs74470773 near PDCD6IP showed suggestive (not genome-wide significant) association with ECC (Z = -4.589, p = 4.46e-6); genetic association, ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association with genetically predicted expression of TAS2R43 (chr12p13.2) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
Genetically predicted expression of TAS2R43 was significantly associated with ECC in the TWAS (p = 8.78e-8); genetic association, ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association at lead SNP rs76823412 (8:134690570; nearest gene(s) ST3GAL1) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5 cohorts (N=2974)
The common variant rs8091366 near CHST9, KCTD1 showed suggestive (not genome-wide significant) association with ECC (Z = 4.476, p = 7.60e-6); genetic association, ungraded.
2 findings from 1 review