What do systematic reviews say?

Dental caries assessment (WHO/clinical diagnostic criteria; caries = DMFT>0) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)

Pooled caries prevalence in Uganda was 0.27 (95% CI 0.126 to 0.418; 3 article(s); not GRADE-rated).

• Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review and… 2022 All outcomes

  Uganda (Africa) · Country: Uganda
  Prevalence 0.27 [0.126, 0.418]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review and… 2022 All outcomes

  Africa (cross-sectional surveys) · Data collection period: 2005-2009
  Prevalence 0.329 [0.111, 0.548]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review and… 2022 All outcomes

  Africa (cross-sectional surveys) · Data collection period: 2000-2004
  Prevalence 0.282 [0.227, 0.337]
  13 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.77 (I² = 97.9%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.77 [0.70, 0.85]
  9 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at dentine threshold (cavitation into dentine) vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.49 (I² = 99.9%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.49 [0.34, 0.63]
  11 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at dentine threshold (cavitation into dentine) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)

Caries prevalence at the dentine threshold was about 56% (pooled 0.56, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.68; 15 studies; not GRADE-rated).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe (community, subnational and national dental surveys)
  Prevalence 0.56 [0.43, 0.68]
  15 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe (community, subnational and national dental surveys) · Region: Scandinavian
  Prevalence 0.49 [0.32, 0.67]
  9 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe (community, subnational and national dental surveys) · Region: non-Scandinavian
  Prevalence 0.57 [0.32, 0.81]
  6 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)

Enamel-threshold caries prevalence in subgroup 'Region: non-Scandinavian' was 0.74 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.96; 11 studies).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe (community, subnational and national dental surveys) · Region: non-Scandinavian
  Prevalence 0.74 [0.53, 0.96]
  11 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe (community, subnational and national dental surveys) · Age group: 12–15 years
  Prevalence 0.73 [0.59, 0.87]
  24 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe (community, subnational and national dental surveys) · Examination type: partial-mouth
  Prevalence 0.81 [0.70, 0.91]
  5 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.69 (I² = 100.0%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.69 [0.49, 0.90]
  13 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.83 (I² = 87.2%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.83 [0.71, 0.94]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at dentine threshold (cavitation into dentine) vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.83.

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.83 [0.80, 0.85]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review and… 2022 All outcomes

  Publication-bias adjusted (trim-and-fill)
  Prevalence 0.354 [0.348, 0.361]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.94.

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.94 [0.92, 0.95]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.74 (I² = 99.9%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Examination year: ≥ 2010
  Prevalence 0.74 [0.53, 0.96]
  11 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at dentine threshold (cavitation into dentine) vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.84.

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.84 [0.79, 0.88]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.82.

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.82 [0.76, 0.87]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.94 (I² = 0%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.94 [0.93, 0.96]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at dentine threshold (cavitation into dentine) vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.74.

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.74 [0.71, 0.76]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at dentine threshold (cavitation into dentine) vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.50 (I² = 99.4%).

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.50 [0.30, 0.70]
  5 studies
  GRADE not reported

Caries assessment at enamel threshold vs None (single-group incidence)

Pooled caries prevalence was 0.92.

• Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Europe · Exact age
  Prevalence 0.92 [0.83, 0.97]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency (low maternal 25(OH)D during pregnancy) vs Adequate prenatal vitamin D (sufficient maternal 25(OH)D)

The review reported 44% dental caries prevalence among children of mothers with low prenatal vitamin D.

• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Maternal pregnancy to child age 2 to 8 years · Mostly developed countries (Europe and America) · Children of mothers with low prenatal vitamin D
  Proportion 0.44
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported
• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Maternal pregnancy to child age 2 to 8 years · Mostly developed countries (Europe and America) · Children of mothers with sufficient prenatal vitamin D
  Proportion 0.25
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Dental caries prevalence in LMIC urban/slum populations ranges widely (13%-76%); not GRADE-rated (narrative synthesis).

• Systematic review of oral health in slums and non-slum urban settings of Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs):… 2024 All outcomes

  Cross-sectional · Urban slums and non-slum/general-urban settings, LMICs
  Prevalence of dental caries varied across age, gender and socioeconomic class, ranging from 13% (Nigeria) to 76% (Central India); prevalence >50% reported in India, Brazil, Malaysia and Rwanda; generally higher in…
  14 studies
  GRADE not reported

Observed population vs Not applicable

Dental caries prevalence was 99.4%.

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  Overall
  Prevalence 99.4
  1 study · 176 participants
  GRADE not reported