Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children
Background. Armed conflicts in many regions of the world have a profoundly destructive impact on all aspects of life, including the health of children. One of the least studied yet critically important consequences is the deterioration of children’s oral health, driven by a complex interplay of phys...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Zaslavsky O.Yu.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Zdorovʹe Rebenka |
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| Online Access: | https://childshealth.zaslavsky.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/1847 |
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| author | O.V. Sheshukova A.S. Mosiienko T.V. Polishchuk N.M. Lokhmatova S.S. Bauman V.H. Kostenko Yu.V. Popelo |
| author_facet | O.V. Sheshukova A.S. Mosiienko T.V. Polishchuk N.M. Lokhmatova S.S. Bauman V.H. Kostenko Yu.V. Popelo |
| author_sort | O.V. Sheshukova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Armed conflicts in many regions of the world have a profoundly destructive impact on all aspects of life, including the health of children. One of the least studied yet critically important consequences is the deterioration of children’s oral health, driven by a complex interplay of physiological, social, and psychological factors. The purpose was to conduct a systematic analysis of the impact of armed conflicts on the prevalence of dental caries in children and adolescents, to identify key risk factors and to propose effective strategies for the prevention and maintenance of oral health in wartime conditions. Materials and methods. A literature search was conducted in March 2025 using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Only publications written in English and issued prior to March 2025 were included. A total of 20 relevant studies were selected, encompassing data on more than 125,000 children. Results. The analysis revealed that the primary determinants of deteriorating dental health in war conditions include psycho-emotional stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, malnutrition, socioeconomic hardship, poor oral hygiene, and limited access to dental care. Children exposed to traumatic experiences demonstrated significantly higher rates of dental caries, periodontal disease, and poorer hygiene practices. A direct association has been identified between caries prevalence and factors, such as poverty, parental education level, and type of residence. While some evidence suggests that reduced sugar access during wartime may lower caries incidence in isolated cases, the overall impact of armed conflict on children’s oral health is strongly negative. Conclusions. There is a pressing need for the implementation of targeted preventive strategies, including the deployment of mobile dental clinics, the use of telemedicine, oral hygiene education programs, psychosocial support, and volunteer-based initiatives, to ensure the delivery of essential dental care to children living in crisis settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b93349d3c550481c8d4bc2b5ba483426 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2224-0551 2307-1168 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Zaslavsky O.Yu. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Zdorovʹe Rebenka |
| spelling | doaj-art-b93349d3c550481c8d4bc2b5ba4834262025-08-20T03:14:33ZengZaslavsky O.Yu.Zdorovʹe Rebenka2224-05512307-11682025-06-0120426427010.22141/2224-0551.20.4.2025.18471847Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in childrenO.V. Sheshukova0A.S. Mosiienko1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2129-8304T.V. Polishchuk2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1114-5830N.M. Lokhmatova3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7800-0516S.S. Bauman4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9029-8968V.H. Kostenko5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9077-2191Yu.V. Popelo6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0002-366XPoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkrainePoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkrainePoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkrainePoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkrainePoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkrainePoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkrainePoltava State Medical University, Poltava, UkraineBackground. Armed conflicts in many regions of the world have a profoundly destructive impact on all aspects of life, including the health of children. One of the least studied yet critically important consequences is the deterioration of children’s oral health, driven by a complex interplay of physiological, social, and psychological factors. The purpose was to conduct a systematic analysis of the impact of armed conflicts on the prevalence of dental caries in children and adolescents, to identify key risk factors and to propose effective strategies for the prevention and maintenance of oral health in wartime conditions. Materials and methods. A literature search was conducted in March 2025 using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Only publications written in English and issued prior to March 2025 were included. A total of 20 relevant studies were selected, encompassing data on more than 125,000 children. Results. The analysis revealed that the primary determinants of deteriorating dental health in war conditions include psycho-emotional stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, malnutrition, socioeconomic hardship, poor oral hygiene, and limited access to dental care. Children exposed to traumatic experiences demonstrated significantly higher rates of dental caries, periodontal disease, and poorer hygiene practices. A direct association has been identified between caries prevalence and factors, such as poverty, parental education level, and type of residence. While some evidence suggests that reduced sugar access during wartime may lower caries incidence in isolated cases, the overall impact of armed conflict on children’s oral health is strongly negative. Conclusions. There is a pressing need for the implementation of targeted preventive strategies, including the deployment of mobile dental clinics, the use of telemedicine, oral hygiene education programs, psychosocial support, and volunteer-based initiatives, to ensure the delivery of essential dental care to children living in crisis settings.https://childshealth.zaslavsky.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/1847dental cariesarmed conflictsreviewchildrenenamel demineralization |
| spellingShingle | O.V. Sheshukova A.S. Mosiienko T.V. Polishchuk N.M. Lokhmatova S.S. Bauman V.H. Kostenko Yu.V. Popelo Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children Zdorovʹe Rebenka dental caries armed conflicts review children enamel demineralization |
| title | Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children |
| title_full | Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children |
| title_fullStr | Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children |
| title_short | Armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children |
| title_sort | armed conflicts as a risk factor for the development of dental caries in children |
| topic | dental caries armed conflicts review children enamel demineralization |
| url | https://childshealth.zaslavsky.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/1847 |
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