Health Policies and Prevention Strategies for Early Childhood Caries: A Narrative Review

Abstract Global reports over 25 years reveal that oral health did not meet up to the mark. Early childhood caries (ECC) generally affects the teeth of infants and children. The global prevalence of ECC was found to be 49%. There was a greater prevalence of ECC in Andhra Pradesh, with a prevalence rate of 63%. The lowest prevalence was seen in Sikkim with a prevalence rate of 41.92%. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar and PubMed. The keywords used were (“pediatric oral health” OR “early childhood caries”) AND (“national oral health policies” OR “public health initiatives” OR “government programs”) AND (“access to dental care” OR “healthcare disparities” OR “insurance coverage”). A narrative synthesis approach was used to analyze and categorize findings from the selected studies. The disproportionate distribution of ECC has led to a negative impact on the oral health of children. This posed a major public health challenge in the management of ECC. There could be better policies and preventive strategies to manage ECC. The procedure should be highly effective and technique sensitive. National oral health policies are to be framed in such a way as to prevent and treat ECC. Evidence-based support for national policies is inadequate. Policymakers should focus on cost-effective intervention. There should be initiatives to support the dentist with dental clinics in managing ECC. Further research should focus on developing a policy framework for an effective strategy to manage ECC.