Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

22 questions · 42 findings · 6 reviews

No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 38 · 90.5%Very low 4 · 9.5%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Older adults (population mean age >33.4 years) vs Younger adults (population mean age <=33.4 years)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Studies of older adults (mean age >33.4 years) had higher pooled DMFT than younger adults, but the age to DMFT meta-regression was not statistically significant; ungraded observational evidence.

5 findings from 1 review
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Populations with low socioeconomic status (>=22.4% of the population with low SES) vs Populations with higher socioeconomic status (<22.4% of the population with low SES)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Populations with a higher proportion of people with low socioeconomic status had higher caries experience (pooled DMFT 15.99 vs 5.50), and meta-regression associated low SES with higher DMFT (about 10.35 more DMFT per unit; p=0.050); ungraded observational evidence.

5 findings from 1 review
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Populations with a lower proportion of university-educated people (<33.78% with university level) vs Populations with a higher proportion of university-educated people (>=33.78% with university level)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

The proportion of university-educated people was not associated with caries experience (DMFT); pooled DMFT was similar across subgroups and the meta-regression was non-significant; ungraded observational evidence.

5 findings from 1 review
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HDI (quantitative) vs Populations in countries with a higher Human Development Index (very high, HDI >=0.800)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Pooled caries experience (DMFT) was similar in very-high-HDI and high-HDI countries, and meta-regression found no significant association between national HDI and DMFT; ungraded observational evidence with very high heterogeneity.

3 findings from 1 review

Populations with a low level of schooling (>=33.60% of the population with low schooling) vs Populations with a higher level of schooling (<33.60% of the population with low schooling)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Population level of schooling was not significantly associated with caries experience (DMFT) in subgroup meta-analysis or meta-regression; ungraded observational evidence with very high heterogeneity.

5 findings from 1 review
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Illicit drug use vs People who do not use drugs

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · People who use drugs (PWUD): methamphetamine, heroin, opiate, cannabis and cocaine users

Illicit drug use was associated with substantially higher odds of dental caries experience (DMFT) (pooled OR 4.11, 95% CI 2.07-8.15; 7 studies; high heterogeneity I2=90.5%; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Populations in countries with a lower Human Development Index (high category, HDI <0.800) vs Populations in countries with a higher Human Development Index (very high, HDI >=0.800)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Pooled caries experience (DMFT) was similar in very-high-HDI and high-HDI countries, and meta-regression found no significant association between national HDI and DMFT; ungraded observational evidence with very high heterogeneity.

3 findings from 1 review

Electronic cigarette use vs Non-smokers

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Humans who use e-cigarettes (adolescents to adults) assessed for dental caries

A meta-analysis of 3 studies compared DMFT/DMFS in e-cigarette users vs non-smokers, but the pooled effect appears only in Figure 3A (unavailable) and heterogeneity was very high (I2=98%); the effect of vaping on dental caries remains unclear (ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in the United Kingdom

In UK studies, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT/S (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.58; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Ireland

The single Irish study showed lower DMFT/S with OHPP (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.61; ungraded, single study).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Japan

The single Japanese study yielded a degenerate estimate of OR 0.00 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.00; ungraded, single study).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

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

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children with dental caries

Oral-health promotion programs were associated with markedly lower odds of DMFT/S in children (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.39; ungraded, very high heterogeneity I2=98.5%).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Finland

The single Finnish study showed lower DMFT/S with OHPP (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.56; ungraded, single study).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years (studies published before 2015)

In studies published before 2015, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.13; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 6 years and older (healthy except for dental caries)

In children aged 6 years and older, OHPPs showed no significant effect on DMFT/S (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.01; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children younger than 6 years (healthy except for dental caries)

In children younger than 6 years, OHPPs were associated with lower odds of DMFT/S (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.39; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Overweight vs Normal Weight or Non‐Obese

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Brazilian children in primary dentition (BMI classified by CDC 2000 growth charts)

Overweight may make little or no difference to caries experience (dmft) in the primary dentition of Brazilian children (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Overweight vs Normal Weight or Non‐Obese

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Brazilian children/adolescents in permanent dentition (BMI classified by CDC 2000 growth charts)

Overweight may make little or no difference to caries experience (DMFT) in the permanent dentition (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Obesity (Unclassified) vs Normal Weight or Non‐Obese

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Brazilian children in primary dentition (BMI classified by CDC 2000 growth charts)

Obesity may make little or no difference to caries experience (dmft) in the primary dentition (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review