Providing timely dental treatment for young children under general anesthesia is a government priority.

摘要

Decay among the very young is called early childhood caries (ECC), defined as the presence of caries on any primary tooth in those under 72 months of age,.3'4 Severe ECC (S-ECC) is a more rampant form that routinely requires extensive rehabilitative treatment under general anesthesia. This is not a permanent solution, as some children afflicted with S-ECC require repeat surgeries to deal with new dental disease or the failure of past dental treatment. In fact, children with ECC are at increased risk of caries throughout childhood.