A narrative review of screen time as a behavioural determinant of paediatric oral health.

BACKGROUND AND

aimDental caries remains one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in childhood, while digitalscreen use among children has surged well beyond recommended limits. Despite growing evidence linking these twotrends, screen exposure is rarely incorporated into paediatric oral health frameworks. This review aims to synthesisecurrent evidence on the relationship between digital device overuse and oral health outcomes in children.

methodsA narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Search terms includedscreen time, dental caries, oral hygiene, dietary behaviour, sleep, and dental anxiety, with priority given to studiespublished in the past decade involving paediatric populations.

resultsEvidence from cross-sectional studies across multiple countries consistently demonstrates that children withhigher screen time exhibit greater caries prevalence, elevated plaque and gingival indices, and more dental anxiety.Key behavioural mediators include increased cariogenic snacking, disrupted oral hygiene routines, reduced parentalsupervision, and heightened behavioural challenges in clinical settings. Physiological pathways, including sleepdisruption and reduced salivary flow, remain biologically plausible but empirically unconfi rmed.

conclusionScreen time is a modifi able behavioural determinant of paediatric oral health and should be integratedinto caries risk assessments, preventive counselling, and public health messaging.