Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews extracted from full text. The non-Cochrane reviews also list every included primary study, AMSTAR 2 appraisal and their overlap, so shared trials are not counted twice (studies cited without an identifier are matched by author and year, a probable match).

337

reviews

7,482

findings

26,293

primary studies

Open the caries gap map Included studies

Reviews per cell · color = highest certainty available · hatched = no review identified
Intervention or exposure	Caries increment	Adverse effects	Lesion arrest	Diagnostic accuracy
Fluoride varnish	1162 questions	69 questions	641 questions	12 questions
Fluoride toothpaste	980 questions	831 questions	25 questions	15 questions
Glass ionomer / ART	212 questions	57 questions	26 questions	515 questions
Laser / photodynamic	no review identified	1218 questions	48 questions	7101 questions
Diet / sugar	519 questions	413 questions	no review identified	no review identified

Thin evidence

Recent findings with no studies or very low certainty

See all of them

Finding	Effect	Studies	GRADE certainty
Removable retainers (Hawley and vacuum-formed) vs Fixed retainers Little's irregularity index (LII) · Patients who completed orthodontic treatment and entered the retention phase · Follow-up 3 to 24 months pooled Removable retainers did not differ significantly from fixed retainers in Little's irregularity index (very low certainty). Effects of different orthodontic retainers on dental arch stability and periodontal health: a systematic… (2026) All outcomes	MD 0.24 [-0.14, 0.62]	4 studies	Very low
Exposure: atherosclerosis (including peripheral arterial disease and carotid artery calcifications) vs Unexposed: low atherosclerotic burden Severe tooth loss (20 or more teeth lost) · Adults (over 18 years) exposed or unexposed to atherosclerosis · Adults in clinical or population settings, Overall No clear association was found between atherosclerosis and severe tooth loss (very low certainty). Association between atherosclerosis and tooth loss in adult patients: systematic review and meta-analysis. (2026) All outcomes	OR 1.27 [0.67, 2.40]	4 studies	Very low
Sequential distalization with clear aligners vs No comparator (single-group pooled mean) Mandibular second-molar distalization · Adolescents or adults undergoing sequential distalization Pooled mean mandibular second-molar distalization was 1.96 mm; certainty was very low. Clinical Outcomes of Sequential Distalization with Clear Aligners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2026) All outcomes	MEAN 1.96 [-2.06, 5.97]	2 studies	Very low
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) vs PDT plus ultrasonic scaling (PDT-US) Porphyromonas gingivalis (decrease in oral microbiological culture) · Orthodontic patients (aged 12 to 19 years) with fixed appliances and gingival inflammation · Last time point (final follow-up), Orthodontic clinics (Spain and Saudi Arabia) For porphyromonas gingivalis (decrease in oral microbiological culture), PDT versus PDT-US (MD -0.47, -1.47 to 0.53) with a CI that includes no difference; very low certainty. Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy in Controlling Gingival Inflammation in Orthodontic Patients: A Network… (2026) All outcomes	MD -0.47 [-1.47, 0.53]	4 studies	Very low
TruNatomy rotary file system vs ProTaper Gold rotary file system Postoperative pain intensity (VAS/NRS) · Adults (18 years or older) with pulpitis undergoing root canal treatment · 48 h, Root canal treatment No clear difference in pain at 48 h (very low certainty). TruNatomy versus protaper gold for postoperative pain in pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of… (2026) All outcomes	SMD 0.13 [-0.16, 0.42]	2 studies · 181 participants	Very low
Male career firefighters, employed >20 years vs Reference category per source meta-analysis Risk of bladder cancer · Male firefighters Male career firefighters, employed >20 years vs Reference category per source meta-analysis showed no clear association with risk of bladder cancer (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.44; Very low certainty). Bladder cancer risk factors: a comprehensive umbrella review of meta-analyses. (2026) All outcomes	RR 0.88 [0.55, 1.44]	4 studies	Very low
Higher total meat vs Lower total meat Risk of bladder cancer · Adults Higher total meat vs Lower total meat showed no clear association with risk of bladder cancer (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.31; Very low certainty). Bladder cancer risk factors: a comprehensive umbrella review of meta-analyses. (2026) All outcomes	RR 1.10 [0.92, 1.31]	11 studies · 137163 participants	Very low
Intensive periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery, tooth extraction) vs No treatment Incident (first-ever) ischemic stroke · Adults over 18 years with or without periodontitis · Follow-up 3 to 15 years across studies, Population-based cohorts (Taiwan, South Korea, USA, Denmark) Intensive periodontal treatment has an uncertain effect on ischemic stroke risk (very low certainty). The Impact of Periodontal Health Interventions on the Risk of Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and… (2026) All outcomes	HR 0.96 [0.78, 1.18]	3 studies · 505010 participants	Very low