AUTHOR=Shmueli Aviv , Moskovitz Moti , Halperson Elinor , Ram Diana , Fux-Noy Avia 

TITLE=Epidemiology and Clinical Management of Early Childhood Caries in Israel

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00280

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2019.00280

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Aim:</bold> The aim of the present review is to describe the current status of early childhood caries (ECC) in Israel in aspects of epidemiology, prevention, and management.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> PubMed search was performed using the words caries, children, Israel. Demographic data was collected from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The decayed, missing, and filled teeth index was 2.72 in 1992 and 2.56 in 2016. The proportion of restored teeth has increased. A number of preventive programs are ongoing but a general preventive program is lacking at the national level. From 2010, every child in Israel is eligible to receive free dental treatment.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> The gaps in understanding of the epidemiological profile of ECC in Israel is a call for more research conduct on ECC in the country.</p>