Appraisal of the national response to the caries epidemic in children in Nigeria

Abstract

BackgroundThis article reviews the caries profile for children in Nigeria and proposes an appropriate framework for addressing the silent caries epidemic.DiscussionWe reviewed the caries prevalence among children in Nigeria, assessed the existing responses to the caries epidemic including the national oral healthcare delivery situation in the country and discussed the current caries management in children. We then proposed a response framework for Nigeria. We argue that successful interventions will require the adoption of a socio-ecological model. This would ensure that the micro-, meso-, exo- and macrosystems required to support the behavioural, structural and biological interventions for promoting caries prevention are addressed. National oral health surveys are required to help understand the epidemiology, social determinants of and factors that undermine the ability of children to access oral health care. A global caries prevention agenda for children would help get the government’s support for a national response agenda. Currently, there is no global call for action on the caries epidemic in children. This lack of an agenda needs to be urgently addressed.SummaryA combination of approaches for the prevention of caries in children in Nigeria is needed. A national survey is needed to generate the needed evidence for the planning of community relevant responses to the national caries epidemic in children. The design of a global health agenda for children is an important first step that can facilitate the development of a national oral health programme for children in Nigeria.

Prevalence and extent of enamel defects in the permanent teeth of 8‐year‐old Nigerian children

“…In the present study, the prevalence and extent of dental caries was low, in accordance with previous studies 34,35 and lower in rural than urban areas, probably due to greater access to, and consumption of, cariogenic diets in urban environments.…”

Impact of Untreated Dental Caries on Daily Performances of Children From Low Social Class in an Urban African Population: The Importance of Pain

“…The prevalence of dental caries in this study was 10.1%, which is within the prevalence range reported in Nigeria [4] but lower than the prevalence reported among children in Brazil (23.1% -75.0%) [18][19][20] and Australian children (43.0%) [21]. This further supports the fact that there is a lower caries experience in Nigeria and similar developing countries than in the more developed countries [1].…”

“…Prevalence rate as high as 91.8% and 77.7% has been documented among children in some regions such as Russia [2] and India [3] respectively. In Nigeria, the prevalence varies from 5.7% to 42.7% [4]. Furthermore, the prevalence of dental caries has been reported to be on the increase among children in Southwestern Nigeria [5].…”

“…Importantly, and of note, from various studies conducted in Nigeria, is the decayed component (signifying untreated carious tooth/teeth) of the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index that accounts for the majority of the index [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Untreated dental caries has been reported to be commoner among children from low social class in urban settings and among children in rural communities [2,8].…”

Impact of dental caries and its treatment on the quality of life of 12‐ to 15‐year‐old adolescents in Benin, Nigeria

“…Little is known about the impact of dental caries and its sequelae on the OHRQoL of children in sub‐Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, where the prevalence of untreated caries and its sequelae is high. The prevalence of dental caries in Benin City is particularly high, higher than what is observed in many other cities in Nigeria. Understanding the social and physical implications of caries and its treatment on the QoL of these children is important.…”