The pooled mean DMFT/dmft (caries severity) was 5.7 (SD 3.6) across 5 studies; certainty not graded.
Veillonella spp. predicted future caries among children without a caries history, but no quantitative effect estimate was reported.
SDF showed no clear advantage for caries arrestment at the surface level.
SDF showed a higher caries-arrestment proportion at the individual level, but the reported difference was not statistically significant.
SDF showed a higher caries-free proportion at the tooth level, but the reported difference was not statistically significant.
SDF and RMGIC did not differ significantly for secondary caries prevention in young permanent molars (no events; p>0.05; ungraded).
SDF+KI and RMGIC did not differ significantly for secondary caries prevention (p>0.05; ungraded).
The review reported SDF was beneficial for arresting caries; no effect estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
No significant difference in caries odds was found between mixed breast-and-bottle-fed and bottle-fed-only children (meta-analysis reported no difference; pooled estimate in an unavailable supplementary figure; not GRADE-rated).
Evidence on food marketing and dental caries is very uncertain (very low certainty); 1 of 2 studies found an association.
Parental tertiary education (vs high-school education) was associated with about 1.8 times higher odds of early childhood caries in South Africa (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.22-2.57; 2 studies; not GRADE-rated).
Across two studies, 50% showed any association of potential public health harm for dental caries (very low certainty).
No significant difference in caries odds was found between bottle-fed-only and breast-fed-only children (meta-analysis reported no difference; pooled estimate in an unavailable supplementary figure; not GRADE-rated).
No significant difference in caries odds was found between children of low- versus high-SES parents (meta-analysis reported no difference; pooled estimate in an unavailable supplementary figure; not GRADE-rated).
Pit and fissure sealant and fluoride varnish showed no statistically significant difference in caries incidence of first permanent molars at 24 months (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.38; I2=89%; not GRADE-rated).
In a subgroup analysis, probiotics reduced the number of caries in adolescents (MD -0.60, 95%CI -0.92 to -0.28; p-interaction=0.02); not GRADE-rated.
In primary teeth, meta-analysis found no evidence of a difference in caries experience (dmft/deft) between children with and without learning disabilities (SMD 0.41, 95% CI -0.14 to 0.96; 8 studies; certainty not graded).
Across all learning disabilities, meta-analysis found no evidence of a difference in permanent-tooth caries experience (DMFT) between children with and without learning disabilities (SMD -0.43, 95% CI -0.91 to 0.05; 16 studies; certainty not graded).
Narrative reports from 6 studies suggested greater unmet dental treatment need in children with learning disabilities (5 of 6 studies), but no quantitative data were available (certainty not graded).