Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

7 questions · 17 findings · 2 reviews · All outcomes

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No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 17 · 100%Very low 0 · 0%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Lower unemployment rate vs Higher unemployment rate (low <=5% / medium >5-10% / high >10%)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children across European countries (national/regional epidemiological surveys, 2011-2022)

Mean DMFT tended to increase with unemployment rate (low 1.23, medium 2.08, high 2.38; ANOVA p<.05); descriptive country-level means only, not meta-analyzed or GRADE-rated.

3 findings from 1 review

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries categorized by World Bank unemployment rate; not meta-analyzed (descriptive means + one-way ANOVA) · Low unemployment (<=5%)
MEAN 1.23
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries categorized by World Bank unemployment rate; not meta-analyzed (descriptive means + one-way ANOVA) · Medium unemployment (>5-10%)
MEAN 2.08
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries categorized by World Bank unemployment rate; not meta-analyzed (descriptive means + one-way ANOVA) · High unemployment (>10%)
MEAN 2.38
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported

Higher per-capita expenditure on dental health care vs Lower per-capita expenditure on dental health care (USD bands: $0-50 / $51-100 / >$100)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children across European countries (national/regional epidemiological surveys, 2011-2022)

Countries with higher per-capita dental expenditure had lower mean DMFT (>$100: 0.96; $51-100: 2.14; $0-50: 3.06) (Figure 4); not GRADE-rated.

3 findings from 1 review

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries stratified by OECD per-capita dental health-care expenditure (USD); test of group differences Q_b(2)=30.51, p<0.01; expenditure-stratified overall pooled DMFT 2.10 (95% CI 1.61-2.59), 32 countries · $0-50 per capita
MEAN 3.06 [2.32, 3.79]
14 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries stratified by OECD per-capita dental health-care expenditure (USD); test of group differences Q_b(2)=30.51, p<0.01; expenditure-stratified overall pooled DMFT 2.10 (95% CI 1.61-2.59), 32 countries · >$100 per capita
MEAN 0.96 [0.64, 1.28]
12 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries stratified by OECD per-capita dental health-care expenditure (USD); test of group differences Q_b(2)=30.51, p<0.01; expenditure-stratified overall pooled DMFT 2.10 (95% CI 1.61-2.59), 32 countries · $51-100 per capita
MEAN 2.14 [1.40, 2.89]
6 studies
GRADE not reported

Western/Northern Europe (UN M49 region) vs Eastern/Southern Europe (UN M49 geographical categorization)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children across European countries (national/regional epidemiological surveys, 2011-2022)

Mean DMFT is lowest in West Europe (0.88) and North Europe (1.34) and highest in East Europe (2.76) and South Europe (2.61) (Figure 3); not GRADE-rated.

4 findings from 1 review

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries grouped by UN M49 geographical categorization; test of group differences Q_b(3)=66.57, p<0.01 · North Europe
MEAN 1.34 [0.62, 2.06]
8 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries grouped by UN M49 geographical categorization; test of group differences Q_b(3)=66.57, p<0.01 · East Europe
MEAN 2.76 [2.44, 3.08]
9 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries grouped by UN M49 geographical categorization; test of group differences Q_b(3)=66.57, p<0.01 · West Europe
MEAN 0.88 [0.54, 1.22]
5 studies
GRADE not reported

Show 1 more finding

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries grouped by UN M49 geographical categorization; test of group differences Q_b(3)=66.57, p<0.01 · South Europe
MEAN 2.61 [1.60, 3.62]
12 studies
GRADE not reported

Higher national income (GNI per capita) vs Lower national income (GNI categories: middle <=$15,000 / high $15,001-25,000 / very high >$25,000)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children across European countries (national/regional epidemiological surveys, 2011-2022)

Mean DMFT in 12-year-olds rises as national income falls: 0.90 (very high income), 2.38 (high income), 3.30 (middle income) (Figure 2); not GRADE-rated.

3 findings from 1 review

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries stratified by World Bank GNI per capita (modified 3-category); test of group differences Q_b(2)=51.35, p<0.01 · Very high income (GNI >$25,000)
MEAN 0.90 [0.66, 1.15]
14 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries stratified by World Bank GNI per capita (modified 3-category); test of group differences Q_b(2)=51.35, p<0.01 · High income (GNI $15,001-25,000)
MEAN 2.38 [1.78, 2.97]
8 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries stratified by World Bank GNI per capita (modified 3-category); test of group differences Q_b(2)=51.35, p<0.01 · Middle income (GNI <=$15,000)
MEAN 3.30 [2.57, 4.03]
12 studies
GRADE not reported

Very high Human Development Index (HDI >=0.800) vs High Human Development Index (HDI 0.700-0.799)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children across European countries (national/regional epidemiological surveys, 2011-2022)

Mean DMFT was higher in high-HDI (3.41) than very-high-HDI (1.73) countries (ANOVA p<.01); descriptive country-level means only, not meta-analyzed or GRADE-rated.

2 findings from 1 review

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries categorized by HDI (high 0.700-0.799 vs very high >=0.800); not meta-analyzed (descriptive means + one-way ANOVA) · High HDI (0.700-0.799)
MEAN 3.41
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European countries categorized by HDI (high 0.700-0.799 vs very high >=0.800); not meta-analyzed (descriptive means + one-way ANOVA) · Very high HDI (>=0.800)
MEAN 1.73
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported

All European countries pooled (overall) vs None (overall pooled prevalence)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children across European countries (national/regional epidemiological surveys, 2011-2022)

Across European countries the overall pooled mean DMFT in 12-year-olds was 2.10 (95% CI 1.63 to 2.57), with very high between-country heterogeneity (I2=100%); not GRADE-rated.

1 finding from 1 review

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A… 2025 All outcomes
Cross-sectional (survey data 2011-2022) · European region (36 countries; 493,360 twelve-year-olds from 61 national/regional reports) · Overall
MEAN 2.10 [1.63, 2.57]
34 studies · 493360 participants
GRADE not reported

Down syndrome vs Individuals without Down syndrome (healthy controls: siblings, schoolchildren or others)

Mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth) · Individuals of all ages

Individuals with Down syndrome had a lower mean DMFT in permanent teeth than controls (pooled SMD -0.18, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.02; 6 studies; I2=20%); certainty of evidence not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Association between Dental Caries and Down Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2015 All outcomes
Individuals with and without Down syndrome from referral centres, national databases and schools across China, Portugal, Jordan, Nigeria, Brazil and India; cross-sectional studies
SMD -0.18 [-0.35, -0.02]
6 studies · 718 participants
GRADE not reported