Change in height-for-age z score · Children aged ≤6 years (early childhood)
The association between baseline caries and declining height-for-age persisted after adjustment (coefficient -0.02); ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Stunting · Children aged ≤6 years (early childhood)
One Nepalese cross-sectional study found caries severity significantly correlated with chronic malnutrition/stunting (HAZ; p<0.0001), especially in rural children; ungraded, no effect size reported.
3 findings from 1 review
Risk of malnutrition (younger children, 6 months to 6 years) · Children aged ≤6 years (early childhood)
One Nepalese cross-sectional study found no significant association between severe ECC and malnutrition risk in children under 6 (mean difference 0.13, p=0.609); ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of Veillonella spp. · Children under 6 years with severe early childhood caries and caries-free controls
Veillonella spp. mean relative abundance was lower in the S-ECC group; no comparative effect estimate or CI was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of S. mutans in saliva · Children under 6 years with severe early childhood caries and caries-free controls
S. mutans median relative abundance was higher in the S-ECC group, without a comparative effect estimate or CI.
1 finding from 1 review
Streptococcus relative abundance · Children under 6 years with severe early childhood caries and caries-free controls
Streptococcus mean relative abundance was slightly higher in the S-ECC group; no comparative effect estimate or CI was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Veillonella spp. and Streptococcus mutans interaction · Children under 6 years with severe early childhood caries and caries-free controls
The study reported a possible role for Veillonella spp. in supporting cariogenic species, without a quantitative effect estimate.
1 finding from 1 review
Veillonella spp. may promote proliferation or survival of cariogenic species, as shown for interactions between Veillonella spp. and S. mutans.
1 study · 82 participants
GRADE not reported
Veillonella dispar relative abundance · Children under 6 years with severe early childhood caries and caries-free controls
Veillonella dispar median relative abundance was higher in the S-ECC group, without a comparative effect estimate or CI.
1 finding from 1 review
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level · Preschool children ≤6 years, Asia
In Asia, children with S-ECC had lower serum 25(OH)D than caries-free children (WMD -19.25 nmol/l; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level · Preschool children ≤6 years, North America
In North America, children with S-ECC had lower serum 25(OH)D than caries-free children (WMD -13.28 nmol/l; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level · Children aged 6 years or younger (preschool children)
Children with severe ECC had significantly lower serum 25(OH)D than caries-free children (WMD -18.64 nmol/l; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of S. mutans in saliva · Individuals assessed for dental caries, predominantly children with early childhood caries (ECC) or severe ECC (age about 1 to 4 years)
A few small studies report Streptococcus mutans relative abundance in caries versus caries-free children without pooling; the evidence is ungraded and not meta-analyzed.
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of Veillonella spp. · Individuals assessed for dental caries, predominantly children with early childhood caries (ECC) or severe ECC (age about 1 to 4 years)
Evidence on whether Veillonella spp. relative abundance is higher or lower in children with dental caries than caries-free controls is inconsistent across 7 small observational studies; no pooled estimate was produced and the evidence is ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review