Preventive and non-restorative caries care in children – a comprehensive approach

- 4D-loop (Determine, Detect, Decide and Do) for caries management and care in everyday practice
- Evidence-based caries risk assessment
- Early caries detection
- Clinical decision-making followed by a personalized care plan for children

Dental caries remains a global public health burden as 44% of all people worldwide is suffering from untreated caries in primary and permanent teeth. Caries is today regarded as a preventable non-communicable disease (NCD), sharing similar biological, behavioral, socioeconomic and lifestyle risk factors with other NCD’s within the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, caries should be subjected to a similar model of chronic disease management. Caries prevention has traditionally relied on fluoride exposure, diet control, proper oral hygiene and antibacterial agents. Prevention of caries as a NCD does certainly not disqualify these methods but bring them into a new context. The lecture will give a brief overview on how these preventive measures can interfere with the drivers of dysbiosis and promote the growth of health-associated clusters in the oral microbiome. Besides the established routines of regular tooth brushing with fluoride products and fluoride varnish applications, there is an opportunity for additional technologies based on ecological principles to address and modify the oral biofilm. Methods to reduce dietary sugar, slow down plaque metabolism and support saliva functions should be further developed and investigated in terms of efficacy, compliance and cost-effectiveness.