Editorial: Improving Children's Oral Health Topic editors

Phoebe Pui Ying Lam^1*Tammy D. Duangthip²

• ¹The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR China
• ²The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States

over the past decades, the prevalence of dental caries has shown limited improvement (1).Approximately half of children under the age of 6 are affected by dental caries (1), and untreated dental caries continues to be one of the most prevalent diseases in the adult population (2). Dental caries can have detrimental and severe impacts on children. In addition to causing pain and infection, the daily activities and quality of life of children can be significantly compromised (3).The effects can be prolonged and have a lasting impact on their permanent dentition (4). Children who present with dental caries in their primary dentition are more likely to develop dental caries in their permanent dentition (4). The impact can also extend to their general health, as children who suffer from oral diseases are more likely to experience compromised growth and development (3).There is also a concerning issue of oral health disparity, with dental caries and other diseases being disproportionately concentrated among children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (5). The increasing costs of dental treatments further exacerbate the situation (6), as those who are most susceptible to oral diseases are less likely to afford the necessary treatment. To enhance oral health among children and improve the condition, collaborative efforts from all stakeholders are necessary to advocate for improved oral health outcomes among children and adolescents. The five research articles focusing on the theme "Improving Children's Oral Health" offer various perspectives on the recent advancements in enhancing oral health among children, as well as identifying existing knowledge gaps. These articles provided valuable suggestions for appropriate directions to meet current objectives in improving children's oral health.Masaebi et al. adopted a public health macro-perspective in assessing disease risk factors and identifying children at high risk of developing dental caries. This approach allows for focused preventive measures to be implemented to reduce the need for more complex treatments. Masaebi et al. utilized the Random Forest Algorithm to identify early signs of permanent dental caries, emphasizing factors such as maternal education and frequent consumption of sweets as indicators of increased caries risk. These findings guide policymakers and dental professionals to intervene proactively and develop targeted policies for early intervention.Wang et al. then examined the perspective of care providers and assessed the current knowledge and skills of dental professionals regarding the placement of stainless steel crowns using the Hall technique. Through appropriate case selection, the placement of stainless steel crowns using the Hall technique has been shown to enhance children's oral health-related quality of life by reducing pain and anxiety, shortening operative time, and improving patient comfort in the long term (7).However, the potential benefits of this approach may not be fully realized if it is not widely adopted Funding: The author(s) declare no financial support.