Gap finder
Search review questions
Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
27 questions in 8 reviews · intervention: Diet/sugar · outcome domain: Caries (unspecified)
current versionsNo studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 22 · 81.5%Very low 0 · 0%Low 5 · 18.5%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Intervention categories, outcome domains and clusters are a proposed key pending human validation. Clear all filters
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Prolonged breastfeeding for more than 24 months vs Not breastfed at the same age or breastfed for a shorter duration Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk · Children up to 71 months (early childhood; primary dentition) · Up to 71 months of age (study follow-up 1-9 years), More than 24 months Risk of Early Childhood Dental Caries Associated With Prolonged Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and… (2025) | RR 2.44 [1.97, 3.02] | 2 studies | Low |
Breastfeeding for more than 12 months vs Not breastfed at the same age Prevalence of early childhood caries · Children up to 71 months · More than 12 months Risk of Early Childhood Dental Caries Associated With Prolonged Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and… (2025) | OR 1.86 [1.48, 2.35] | 13 studies | Low |
Sugar consumption (higher sugar intake) vs No sugar consumption (lower/no intake) Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children under 6 years of age · Outcome (ECC) assessed from 9 months to 5 years of age, Overall (all 9 meta-analyzed studies pooled) Sugar consumption and early childhood caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. (2025) | OR 1.59 [1.50, 1.68] | 9 studies | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for more than 24 months vs Not breastfed at the same age Prevalence of early childhood caries · Children up to 71 months · More than 24 months Risk of Early Childhood Dental Caries Associated With Prolonged Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and… (2025) | OR 2.99 [1.03, 8.67] | 4 studies | Low |
Breastfeeding for 12-24 months vs Not breastfed at the same age Prevalence of early childhood caries · Children up to 71 months · 12-24 months Risk of Early Childhood Dental Caries Associated With Prolonged Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and… (2025) | PR 3.32 [1.57, 5.07] | 2 studies | Low |
Breastfeeding for 12-24 months vs Not breastfed at the same age Risk of early childhood caries · Children up to 71 months · 12-24 months Risk of Early Childhood Dental Caries Associated With Prolonged Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and… (2025) | RR 1.21 [0.82, 1.78] | 5 studies | Low |
Cessation of breastfeeding/bottle after 18 months vs Cessation at or before 18 months Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children aged 0-5 years in North Africa · >18 months Prevalence and risk factors for early childhood caries in North Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2025) | OR 2.417 [1.340, 4.358] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Frequent sugary food intake at night vs No nighttime sugary intake Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children aged 0-5 years in North Africa · At night only Prevalence and risk factors for early childhood caries in North Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2025) | OR 1.104 [1.167, 2.826] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Nocturnal breastfeeding vs No nocturnal breastfeeding Dental caries (ECC) · Preschool children under 6 years of age · First dental examination before age 6 years, Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding study 39 Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 3.05 [2.40, 3.87] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Nocturnal breastfeeding vs No nocturnal breastfeeding Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 2.35 [1.42, 3.89] | 3 studies · 1590 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding <24 months vs Breastfeeding ≥24 months Dental caries (ECC) · Preschool children under 6 years of age · First dental examination before age 6 years, Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding Peres et al. (2017) Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.49 [0.39, 0.62] | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding vs No breastfeeding Dental caries (ECC) · Preschool children under 6 years of age · First dental examination before age 6 years, Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding studies 37, 41, 45, 53, and 56 Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.82 [0.71, 0.95] | 5 studies | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <12 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥12 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.65 [0.50, 0.86] | 8 studies · 4365 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding (exclusive or partial, any duration) vs No breastfeeding Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Case-control studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | OR 1.04 [0.78, 1.38] | 5 studies · 1022 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <24 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥24 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.59 [0.33, 1.05] | 4 studies · 2271 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <18 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥18 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.41 [0.18, 0.92] | 5 studies · 2332 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding <18 months vs Breastfeeding ≥18 months Dental caries (ECC) · Preschool children under 6 years of age · First dental examination before age 6 years, Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding studies 48 and 52 Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.26 [0.16, 0.42] | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding (exclusive or partial, any duration) vs No breastfeeding Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.98 [0.77, 1.26] | 10 studies · 8506 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <4 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥4 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.95 [0.80, 1.13] | 2 studies · 1017 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <6 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥6 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Cohort studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.97 [0.88, 1.06] | 6 studies · 4850 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding <12 months vs Breastfeeding ≥12 months Dental caries (ECC) · Preschool children under 6 years of age · First dental examination before age 6 years, Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding studies 35, 42, and 48 Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | RR 0.70 [0.62, 0.80] | 5 studies | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <6 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥6 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Case-control studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | OR 0.53 [0.41, 0.67] | 2 studies · 1201 participants | Ungraded |
Sugary drinks/sweets consumption vs Children without dental caries Dental caries (association with sugary drinks/sweets consumption) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries Individual, Family, and Socioeconomic Contributors to Dental Caries in Children from Low- and Middle-Income… (2022) | OR 2.04 [1.59, 2.60] | 7 studies · 3653 participants | Ungraded |
Higher consumption of snacks / sugar / soft drinks vs Lower consumption Dental caries · Healthy children and adolescents in the United Arab Emirates Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | Soft drink consumption (Khadri et al.: 0.31, 95% CI 0.14-0.47) and a high extent of snacking (Hashim et al.: high vs low snack level aRR 1.46, 95% CI 1.26-1.70; snacking >=3x vs once daily aRR 1.25, 1.00-1.57) were… | NR | Ungraded |
Frequent carbohydrate / sugary food intake vs Infrequent carbohydrate intake Dental caries (presence) · Individuals in East Africa assessed for dental caries Prevalence of Dental Caries and Associated Factors in East Africa, 2000-2020: Systematic Review and… (2021) | OR 1.575 [1.13, 3.051] | 11 studies · 5651 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding vs Bottle feeding Presence of dental caries · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months) Breast and Bottle Feeding as Risk Factors for Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2015) | OR 0.43 [0.23, 0.80] | 2 studies · 620 participants | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding vs Bottle feeding Presence of dental caries · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months) Breast and Bottle Feeding as Risk Factors for Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2015) | Four studies showed that bottle fed children had more dental caries (p<0.05), while three studies found no such association (p>0.05); the review concluded that breastfeeding can protect against dental caries in early… | 7 studies | Ungraded |