CARIES SUSCEPTIBILITY IN CHILDREN- A REVIEW

Caries is a unique multifactorial infectious disease. Our understanding of etiological factors, the progress of the disease, and the effectiveness of prophylactic procedures have led us to believe that we understand the disease. However, we still have too few answers to many questions. Early childhood caries affects 28% of children aged 2-6 in the US and is not decreasing. There is a well-recognized need to identify susceptible children at birth. Assessing a child's risk of developing caries is a vital component of caries management. A comprehensive caries assessment should consider factors such as past and current caries experience, diet, fluoride exposure, presence of cariogenic bacteria, salivary status, general medical history, behavioral and physical factors, and medical and demographic characteristics that may affect caries development. The purpose of this review article is to throw a light on these factors.