SynthesisInternational journal of paediatric dentistry2026
Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in Africa: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in International journal of paediatric dentistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Early childhood caries in Africa: prevalence, determinants, and implications for oral health promotion-an umbrella review.Frontiers in oral health · 2026Pooled it
- Comparison of retention of resin-based filled and unfilled pit and fissure sealants using different isolation techniques.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with early childhood cariogenic diet exposure in Kenya.BMC oral health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) continues to increase. It is recognised as a public health concern, particularly in developing countries. Early childhood caries has numerous adverse effects on children's growth and overall well-being. Despite the global burden of ECC, data from Africa remain limited, varied and are based on inconsistent diagnostic criteria and study methodologies.
aimThe aim was to perform a systematic review to ascertain the prevalence of ECC in children across Africa between January 2000 and March 2025. MATERIALS AND
methodsA systematic literature search of peer-reviewed articles published in English between January 2000 and March 2025 was conducted using multiple databases, including PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, AFRICA-WIDE INFO, African Journals Online (AJOL) and CINAHL. Prospero Registration: CRD42018112161.
resultsA total of 70 studies, representing 58 644 participants from 13 African countries, were included in the review. The overall prevalence of ECC was 37.9% (95% CI: 31.2-44.6), with variations observed among countries and urban/rural settings. The mean dmft score was 1.98 (95% CI: 1.86-2.10). DISCUSSION AND
conclusionThe prevalence of ECC varies considerably across the African continent. This could be due to differences in education, access to dental care and human resources among countries and regions.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.