Dental caries · Children aged 5-7 years (early school-age)
In early school-age children (5-7 y) from a low-contamination area, one study reported higher DMFT/dmft in exposed than non-exposed children; the estimate was not pooled (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest of dentine caries · Preschool children with active dentine caries in primary teeth (mean age 3.4-4.0 years)
Silver diamine fluoride was about 2.5 times more likely than sodium fluoride to arrest dentine caries surfaces at 18 months (pooled OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.25 to 5.10; 2 RCTs), although between-study heterogeneity was high (I2=90.3%); certainty of evidence was not formally graded.
2 findings from 1 review
Caries incidence rate (first D3 lesion) per person-year at risk (permanent dentition) · Children and adolescents (permanent dentition, D3, up to 21 y), Western or comparable populations
In the permanent dentition, the pooled caries incidence rate was 0.11 per person-year at risk (95% CI 0.09 to 0.13; random-effects meta-analysis of 15 studies), i.e., about 11 of every 100 caries-free persons develop dentine caries each year (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Plaque · Medically healthy individuals (adults and children, 6-60 years)
Placebo rinse did not significantly change plaque relative to baseline; not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
Coronal carious lesions arrest · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
One review reported prevented fractions of 55 to 96% favouring 38% SDF over fluoride varnish or placebo for arresting coronal caries in primary teeth (two studies; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 55–96
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start)
2400 to 2800 ppm F toothpaste may leads to lower caries increment, surface index D(M)FS compared with 250 ppm F toothpaste (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
SMD -0.26 [-0.38, -0.14]
Studies not reported
Low
Coronal carious lesions prevention · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
One review reported a 54% prevented fraction for fluoride varnish versus placebo for preventing coronal caries in primary teeth (one study; ungraded; comparator intervention, not SDF).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 54
1 study
GRADE not reported
Incremental cost‐effectiveness · Children younger than 6 years (healthy except for dental caries)
In children younger than 6 years, OHPPs were associated with lower cost per DMFT/S (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.32; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Sealant retention rate (completely retained) · Caries-free children to young adults with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
At 18 months, laser preparation alone did not differ significantly from acid-etching for sealant retention (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.23 to 2.85; ungraded, single study, high risk of bias).
6 findings from 1 review
OR 0.82 [0.23, 2.85]
1 study · 16 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 1.22 [0.69, 2.16]
3 studies · 80 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 1.05 [0.61, 1.80]
3 studies · 73 participants
GRADE not reported
Show 3 more findings
OR 2.78 [0.87, 8.91]
2 studies · 65 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 1.15 [0.63, 2.10]
1 study · 43 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 0.87 [0.31, 2.45]
1 study · 16 participants
GRADE not reported
Number of participants with new demineralised lesions (DLs) · Orthodontic patients of any age with fixed braces (new DLs assessed at debond)
Professionally-applied fluoride varnish (7700 or 10,000 ppm F),… showed no clear difference in number of participants with new demineralised lesions (DLs) compared with non-fluoride (placebo) varnish (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Coronal carious lesions arrest · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
One review reported a risk ratio of 2.54 favouring SDF over placebo/no treatment for arresting coronal caries in primary teeth (no CI; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
RR 2.54
2 studies
GRADE not reported
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years (studies published 2015 or later)
In studies published from 2015 onward, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.53; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects · Orthodontic patients of any age with fixed braces (new DLs assessed at debond)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces (permanent teeth)
38% SDF + potassium iodide solution (applied annually) may not differ from no treatment for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 2.36, 95% CI 0.66 to 8.42; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth)
5% NaF varnish was probably less effective than Resin infiltration + 5% NaF varnish for arrest or reversal of occlusal carious lesions (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.83; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Clinical failure · Children with carious vital pulp exposure in primary incisors
Pulpotomy may not differ from pulpectomy for clinical failure; no GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Serious adverse events · Children and older adults treated with SDF for carious lesions
No serious adverse events (e.g., allergic reactions or toxicity) were reported for SDF across the reviews (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Number of participants with more severe DLs (score 3 or 4 versus 1 or 2) · Orthodontic patients of any age with fixed braces (new DLs assessed at debond)
Professionally-applied fluoride varnish (7700 ppm F ammonium… may leads to lower number of participants with more severe DLs (score 3 or 4 versus 1… compared with non-fluoride (placebo) varnish (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary and permanent teeth)
1.23% APF gel was probably more effective than no treatment for arrest or reversal of any-coronal carious lesions (RR 2.25, 95% CI 2 to 2.53; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries in permanent teeth · Children aged 1-18 years
Across all learning disabilities, meta-analysis found no evidence of a difference in permanent-tooth caries experience (DMFT) between children with and without learning disabilities (SMD -0.43, 95% CI -0.91 to 0.05; 16 studies; certainty not graded).
4 findings from 1 review
Show 1 more finding