Question · asked by 1 review
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals: Dental caries
- Population
- Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
- Intervention
- Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART)
- Comparison
- HIV-negative individuals
- Outcome
- Dental caries
In cross-sectional studies, children and adolescents with HIV on antiretroviral therapy had about twice the odds of dental caries versus HIV-negative peers (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.42; very low certainty).
What each review found
Current versions onlyNo studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 0 · 0%Very low 3 · 100%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
| Finding | Effect | Studies | GRADE certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries (presence/absence) · Children and adolescents under 18 years with HIV · Not specified (cross-sectional), Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa), Cross-sectional studies In cross-sectional studies, children and adolescents with HIV on antiretroviral therapy had about twice the odds of dental caries versus HIV-negative peers (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.42; very low certainty). Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) All outcomes | OR 2.04 [1.21, 3.42] | 6 studies · 2206 participants | Very low |
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries (presence/absence) · Children and adolescents under 18 years with HIV · Not specified (case-control), Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa), Case-control studies A single case-control study found no significant difference in the odds of dental caries between HIV+ children on ART and HIV-negative peers (OR 3.15, 95% CI 0.98 to 10.15; very low certainty). Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) All outcomes | OR 3.15 [0.98, 10.15] | 1 study · 99 participants | Very low |
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries (presence/absence) · Children and adolescents under 18 years with HIV · Prospective follow-up (single cohort), Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa), Cohort studies In a single cohort study, children with HIV on antiretroviral therapy had higher odds of dental caries than HIV-negative peers (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.48 to 3.12; very low certainty). Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) All outcomes | OR 2.11 [1.41, 3.17] | 1 study · 544 participants | Very low |
Findings are shown side by side, never pooled across reviews.
The reviews
| Review | Searched up to | Included studies | AMSTAR 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes | Inception to October 2024 (LILACS expanded search updated February 2025) | 17 | Not applicable |
How reviews are matched to this question
Reviews word the same question differently. Four decision models (TypeSafe's Jev, Liquid AI's d1-ultra, SubQ Snap and Baseten's Elephant) judged each wording of the population, intervention, comparator and outcome against the others; two wordings count as the same when at least three of them agree and none clearly disagrees, and findings count as this question only when all four elements match. Timing, setting and subgroup never split a question: they are shown on each finding.