Severe early childhood caries: a modern (neglected) epidemic?

There is mounting concern that there is increasing severity in the oral health burden of children who have dental caries. This study aims to describe the current dentally examined rates of severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) among children aged five years within the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) region, overall and by major ethnic groups.

A retrospective analysis of routine oral health data collected from all children aged five years attending the CDHB child oral health services for their routine oral health check between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2019, inclusive.

The sample included 10,766 children, of whom 1,822 (16.9%) were Māori, 499 (4.6%) were Pacific and 8,445 (78.4%) were non-Māori/non-Pacific. Overall, 1,980 (18.4%) were classified as having S-ECC, and significant ethnic differences emerged between Māori, Pacific, non-Māori/non-Pacific children (26.2%, 40.1% and 15.4%, respectively; p<0.001).

Despite considerable public investment, Canterbury's children are carrying a heavy oral health burden, which is unequally shared. Risk factors for and the consequence of this burden have significant health and wellbeing implications, now and for the future. Systemic changes and interventions are necessary to redress this childhood oral health epidemic.