Breaking the cycle: how poverty affects children's oral health in developing nations-a rapid review.

BACKGROUND

Oral diseases remain a significant public health challenge worldwide, disproportionately impacting children in developing countries due to socioeconomic hardship and limited healthcare access.

PURPOSE: This rapid review evaluates the relationship between low household income and children's oral health outcomes in developing countries.

METHOD: We followed PRISMA 2020 and Cochrane Rapid Review guidelines. A systematic search of five databases (2012-2022) using refined keywords identified eligible studies. Quality assessment used the NIH tool.

RESULTS

Of 1,574 articles identified, 13 met inclusion criteria. Most were cross-sectional studies from China, India, Nigeria, Brazil, and Syria. A consistent association was found between lower socioeconomic status and worse oral health outcomes, including higher DMFT/dmft scores, gingivitis, and early childhood caries (ECC).

CONCLUSION

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with worse oral health outcomes in children in developing countries.