Mobile Health and School Based Interventions for Dental Caries in Children: A Global Review
Keywords:
Dental Caries Prevention, Oral Health Education, School Children, Community Based Intervention, Mobile Health Tools, Motivational Interviewing, Tele DentistryAbstract
Dental caries in primary school children remains a significant global health concern, with prevalence rates disproportionately affecting underserved populations. This narrative review examines the effectiveness of community based and school centered interventions aimed at preventing dental caries among children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify peer reviewed studies that assess educational, behavioral, technological, and systemic approaches to oral health promotion. Inclusion criteria targeted empirical studies and systematic reviews focused on children aged 6 to 12. Findings reveal that mobile health tools, such as SMS reminders and educational applications, positively influence children’s oral hygiene compliance. Audiovisual materials enhance learning engagement and retention, while behavioral techniques like motivational interviewing promote lasting habit formation. The role of parental education and socioeconomic factors emerged as significant determinants of oral health behaviors, with community and school based programs proving effective in mitigating access barriers. Moreover, tele dentistry and remote education platforms offer promising alternatives in areas with limited dental infrastructure. These results underscore the need for adaptive and inclusive public health policies that prioritize early oral health education, digital engagement, and culturally responsive communication strategies. By integrating these insights into policy and practice, stakeholders can more effectively address dental caries prevention and improve the long term oral health of children globally.
References
Abuhaloob, L., & Petersen, P. E. (2018). Oral Health Status Among Children and Adolescents in Governmental and Private Schools of the Palestinian Territories. International Dental Journal, 68(2), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/idj.12345
Aguirre, P. E. A., Lotto, M., Strieder, A. P., Cruvinel, A. F. P., & Cruvinel, T. (2019). The Effectiveness of Educational Mobile Messages for Assisting in the Prevention of Early Childhood Caries: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Jmir Research Protocols, 8(9), e13656. https://doi.org/10.2196/13656
Albino, J., & Tiwari, T. (2015). Preventing Childhood Caries. Journal of Dental Research, 95(1), 35–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034515609034
Al-Dahan, H. M., & Ismael, S. A. (2023). Early Childhood Caries: Parents’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Its Prevention in Refugee Camps in Erbil, Iraq. BMC Oral Health, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-03516-8
Arheiam, A., Harris, R., & Baker, S. R. (2020). Changes in Dental Caries and Sugar Intake Before and During the Conflict in Libya: A Natural Experiment. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 48(3), 201–207. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12526
Chinzorig, T., Aida, J., Cooray, U., Nyamdorj, T., Mashbaljir, S., Osaka, K., & Garidkhuu, A. (2019). Inequalities in Caries Experience Among Mongolian Children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3892. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203892
Cooper, D., Kim, J.-S., Duderstadt, K. G., Stewart, R., Lin, B., & Alkon, A. (2017). Interprofessional Oral Health Education Improves Knowledge, Confidence, and Practice for Pediatric Healthcare Providers. Frontiers in Public Health, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00209
Daouda, F., Kanouté, A., Mbacke, L., & Mamadou, M. (2016). Assessment of Dental Caries Prevention Program Applied to a Cohort of Elementary School Children of Kebemer, a City in Senegal. Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry, 6(8), 105. https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0762.189736
Dumitrescu, R. G., Sava-Roşianu, R., Jumanca, D., Bălean, O., Damian, L.-R., Fratila, A. D., Maricuțoiu, L. P., Hajdu, A. I., Focht, R., Dumitrache, M. A., Dăguci, C., Postolache, M., Vernic, C., & Găluşcan, A. (2022). The Impact of Parental Education on Schoolchildren’s Oral Health—A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Romania. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 11102. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191711102
Fasoulas, A., Pavlidou, E., Petridis, D., Mantzorou, M., Seroglou, K., & Giaginis, C. (2019). Detection of Dental Plaque With Disclosing Agents in the Context of Preventive Oral Hygiene Training Programs. Heliyon, 5(7), e02064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02064
Guan, M., Nada, O. A., Wu, J., Sun, J., Li, N., Li-ming, C., & Dai, T. (2021). Dental Caries and Associated Factors in 3–5-Year-Old Children in Guizhou Province, China: An Epidemiological Survey (2015–2016). Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.747371
Hall‐Scullin, E., Whitehead, H. R., Milsom, K. M., Tickle, M., Su, T., & Walsh, T. (2017). Longitudinal Study of Caries Development From Childhood to Adolescence. Journal of Dental Research, 96(7), 762–767. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034517696457
Hu, J., Jiang, W., Lin, X., Zhu, H., Zhou, N., Chen, Y., Wu, W., Zhang, D., & Chen, H. (2018). Dental Caries Status and Caries Risk Factors in Students Ages 12–14 Years in Zhejiang, China. Medical Science Monitor, 24, 3670–3678. https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.907325
Kitsaras, G., Goodwin, M., Kelly, M. P., & Pretty, I. (2021). Bedtime Oral Hygiene Behaviours, Dietary Habits and Children’s Dental Health. Children, 8(5), 416. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050416
Kroon, J., Lalloo, R., Tadakamadla, S. K., & Johnson, N. W. (2019). Dental Caries Experience in Children of a Remote Australian Indigenous Community Following Passive and Active Preventive Interventions. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 47(6), 470–476. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12486
Laganà, G., Lione, R., Malara, A., Fanelli, S., Fabi, F., & Cozza, P. (2025). Oro-Functional Conditions in a 6-to-14-Year-Old School Children Population in Rome: An Epidemiological Study. Children, 12(3), 305. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030305
Levinson, J., Kohl, K., Baltag, V., & Ross, D. A. (2019). Investigating the Effectiveness of School Health Services Delivered by a Health Provider: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews. Plos One, 14(6), e0212603. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212603
Liu, P., Wong, M. C. M., Lee, G., Yiu, C. K. Y., & Lo, E. C. M. (2022). Family Behavior Theory-Based Intervention via Mobile Messaging to Improve Oral Health of Adolescents: Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Trials, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06861-1
Marshman, Z., Ainsworth, H., Chestnutt, I. G., Day, P. F., Dey, D., Yousfi, S. E., Fairhurst, C., Gilchrist, F., Hewitt, C., Jones, C., Kellar, I., Pavitt, S., Robertson, M., Shah, S., Stevens, K., Torgerson, D., & Innes, N. (2019). Brushing RemInder 4 Good Oral HealTh (BRIGHT) Trial: Does an SMS Behaviour Change Programme With a Classroom-Based Session Improve the Oral Health of Young People Living in Deprived Areas? A Study Protocol of a Randomised Controlled Trial. Trials, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-019-3538-6
Melebari, L. A., Attas, S. E., & Arafa, A. (2019). The Motivational Effect of Multicolored Dental Restoration on Dental Behavior of First Preliminary School Children. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, 5(4), 398–405. https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.194
Mühlemann, A., & Felten, S. v. (2021). Evaluation of a Caries Prevention Programme for Preschool Children in Switzerland: Is the Target Group Being Reached? BMC Oral Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-021-01969-3
Natapov, L., Sasson, A., & Zusman, S. P. (2016). Does Dental Health of 6-Year-Olds Reflect the Reform of the Israeli Dental Care System? Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-016-0086-3
Nazir, M. A. (2019). Predictors of Routine Dental Check-Up Among Male Adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Acta Stomatologica Croatica, 53(3), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.15644/asc53/3/7
Qahtan, D. K., Felemban, O., Alamoudi, R. A., Bamashmous, N., El-Ashiry, E. A., & Alamoudi, N. (2025). Mothers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Concerning Their Kindergarten Children’s Oral Health: A Cross‐Sectional Study. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70113
Raj, S., Acharya, S., & Rao, J. C. (2019). School Interventions–based Prevention of Early‐Childhood Caries Among 3–5‐year‐old Children From Very Low Socioeconomic Status: Two‐year Randomized Trial. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 80(1), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphd.12348
Reyes, L. T., Knorst, J. K., Ortiz, F. R., Mendes, F. M., & Ardenghi, T. M. (2020). Pathways Influencing Dental Caries Increment Among Children: A Cohort Study. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 31(3), 422–432. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12730
Ruff, R. R., Godín, T. J. B., Small, T. M., & Niederman, R. (2022). Silver Diamine Fluoride, Atraumatic Restorations, and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Children Aged 5–13 Years: Results From the CariedAway School-Based Cluster Randomized Trial. BMC Oral Health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02159-5
Ruff, R. R., Godín, T. J. B., Whittemore, R., Small, T. M., Santiago‐Galvin, N., & Sharma, P. (2024). Unmet Dental Needs in Children Following Suspension of School‐Based Oral Health Services Due to COVID‐19. Journal of School Health, 94(5), 427–432. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13433
Schulz‐Weidner, N., Schlenz, M. A., Jung, L. G., Uebereck, C., Nehls, A., & Krämer, N. (2022). Dental Treatment Under General Anesthesia in Pre-School Children and Schoolchildren With Special Healthcare Needs: A Comparative Retrospective Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(9), 2613. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11092613
Sharda, S., Gupta, A., Jyani, G., Prinja, S., & Goyal, A. (2024). Modeling the Cost‐effectiveness of School‐based Supervised Toothbrushing Program in Reducing the Dental Caries Burden in India. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 35(1), 136–144. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.13214
Shmueli, A., Assad-Halloun, A., Fux‐Noy, A., Halperson, E., Shmueli, E., Ram, D., & Moskovitz, M. (2023). Promoting Oral and Dental Health in Early Childhood - Knowledge, Views and Current Practices Among Paediatricians in Israel. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.956365
Stojković, B., Igić, M., Jevtović-Stoimenov, T., Tričković-Janjić, O., Ignjatović, A., Kostić, M., Petrović, M., & Stojanović, S. (2020). Can Salivary Biomarkers Be Used as Predictors of Dental Caries in Young Adolescents? Medical Science Monitor, 26. https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.923471
Ugolini, A., Porro, F., Carli, F., Agostino, P., Silvestrini‐Biavati, A., & Riccomagno, E. (2023). Probabilistic Graphical Modelling of Early Childhood Caries Development. Plos One, 18(10), e0293221. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293221
Wang, L., Liu, H., Zhang, Y., Guo, W., Wu, P., Chang, X., Wang, L., Xu, W., & Zhao, L. (2022). Evaluating an Oral Health Programme for the Prevention of Dental Decay Among School-Aged Children in China: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study Based on the RE-AIM Framework. BMJ Open, 12(9), e061601. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061601
Wen, Y. (2025). Prevalence of Dental Caries and Influence Factors Among Students in Beijing: A Cross-Sectional Study. Plos One, 20(4), e0322694. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322694
Winter, J., Hartmann, T., Schul, C., Hörschgen, E., Thöne‐Mühling, M., Wollenberg, B., Amend, S., & Frankenberger, R. (2025). Impact of Interrupting Oral Prevention on Dental Health of 7- To 8-Year-Old Children Due to COVID-19. Children, 12(3), 315. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030315
Zeng, L., Peng, Y., Xu, T.-T., Wen, J., Wan, L., Ou, X., & Zhou, X. (2020). Dental Caries and Associated Factors Among Adolescents Aged 12 to 15 in Jiangxi Province, China. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 80(3), 217–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphd.12371
Zhou, L., Liu, B., Li, Y., Wang, M., Sun, C., Zhang, X., Liu, G., & SIUZANNA, N. (2023). Cost-Effectiveness of Pit and Fissure Sealing at Schools for Caries Prevention in China: A Markov Modeling Analysis. Caries Research, 57(4), 516–523. https://doi.org/10.1159/000530377
