Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals: Dental caries (by severity)
- 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 (by severity)
In cross-sectional studies, HIV+ children on ART had a significantly higher DMFS index than HIV-negative peers (MD 2.00, 95% CI 1.54 to 2.46; not separately GRADE-rated).
What each review found
Include earlier review versions| Finding | Effect | Studies | GRADE certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries severity (DMFS index, permanent dentition) · 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; DMFS index In cross-sectional studies, HIV+ children on ART had a significantly higher DMFS index than HIV-negative peers (MD 2.00, 95% CI 1.54 to 2.46; not separately GRADE-rated). Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) All outcomes | MD 2.00 [1.54, 2.46] | 1 study · 778 participants | GRADE not reported |
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries severity (DMFS index, permanent dentition) · 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; DMFS index In case-control studies, the DMFS index did not differ significantly between HIV+ children on ART and HIV-negative peers (MD 1.10, 95% CI -0.25 to 2.45; not separately GRADE-rated). Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) All outcomes | MD 1.10 [-0.25, 2.45] | 1 study · 105 participants | GRADE not reported |
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 |
Related questions
The same intervention and outcome, asked in another population or against another comparator.
- Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls · Children or adolescents · 1 review
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.