Early childhood caries (ECC) is a recent term that describes rampant dental caries in infants.

Terms describing this affliction have evolved during the last 20 years, and include names like nursing caries, nursing bottle caries and baby bottle caries (1).

Redefined as ECC, this affliction involves the presence of one or more decayed tooth surfaces (cavitary or non-cavitary lesions) and, or missing teeth due to caries or restorations of any deciduous teeth in children between 3-4 years of age or before 72 months.

The presence of any sign of cavity in children younger than 3 years old indicates severe ECC, S-ECC is also defined as “atypical”, “progressive” acute rampant. In children between 3 and 5 years old the presence of one or more cavities, missing teeth due to cavities, the presence of fillings in the maxillary anterior teeth > 1=4 (for 3 years old), >1=5 (for 4 years old), >1=6 (for 5 years old) are signs of S-ECC (2).