Cost‐effectiveness · Children aged 6 years and older (healthy except for dental caries)
In children aged 6 years and older, the cost-effectiveness estimate was extremely imprecise and not significant (OR 0.00, 95% CI 0.00 to 48704.6; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces (permanent teeth)
1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish may not differ from 38% SDF solution (applied annually) for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.14 to 5.6; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries in primary teeth: dmft (3 years) · Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
There was no significant difference in dental caries of the primary teeth (dmft) between children with JIA and healthy peers (pooled MD -1.16, 95% CI -3.02 to 0.71; 3 cross-sectional studies; very high heterogeneity I2=87.9%; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces (permanent teeth)
1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish may not differ from 5,000-ppm F (1.1% NaF) toothpaste or gel for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.15 to 2.7; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
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
Microbial reduction (viable count, log CFU/mL) · Patients with dental caries (in vivo cariogenic microorganisms, including children with early childhood caries)
In randomized clinical trials, photodynamic therapy significantly reduced cariogenic microbial counts versus untreated control (SMD -1.16, 95% CI -2.02 to -0.30; 2 trials), but heterogeneity was high (I2=70%) and considered too high to rely on; certainty was not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries in permanent teeth · Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
There was no significant difference in dental caries of the permanent teeth (DMFT) between children/adolescents with JIA and healthy peers (pooled MD -0.08, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.26; 6 cross-sectional studies; no heterogeneity I2=0%; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth)
Sealant + 5% NaF varnish was probably more effective than no treatment for arrest or reversal of occlusal carious lesions (RR 3.35, 95% CI 2.42 to 4.64; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Incremental cost‐effectiveness · Children with dental caries
OHPPs were associated with a lower program cost per DMFT/S in about 97 of 100 programs (OR 0.03, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.11; ungraded, very high heterogeneity I2=99%).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 0.03 [0.01, 0.11]
8 studies
GRADE not reported
Microbial reduction (viable count, log CFU/mL) · Cariogenic bacteria (mainly Streptococcus mutans reference strains) and oral biofilms in vitro
In in vitro studies, photodynamic therapy significantly reduced cariogenic microbial counts versus untreated control (SMD -2.64, 95% CI -4.50 to -0.79; 2 studies; I2=0%); certainty was not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth)
Resin infiltration + 5% NaF varnish may not differ from Sealant + 5% NaF varnish for arrest or reversal of occlusal carious lesions (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.21; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Dental caries prevalence · Children (<12 years) and adolescents (12-18 years) with type 1 diabetes
Caries prevalence among those with poor metabolic control was 66% (95% CI 0.43 to 0.83); certainty not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
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
Caries presence in primary teeth · Young children with primary (deciduous) dentition (aged 1 to 6 years at study start)
Postnatal (infancy) tobacco exposure is associated with higher odds of caries in primary dentition (pooled OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.05; 13 studies; high heterogeneity I2=83%); certainty not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
All occlusal carious lesions · Permanent molar surfaces in diagnostic accuracy studies (mostly in vitro; clinical)
Pooled specificity for visual detection of all occlusal lesions was 0.770 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.81).
2 findings from 1 review
Specificity 77.0 [73, 81]
51 studies
GRADE not reported
Specificity 75.3 [70, 80]
67 studies
GRADE not reported
Negative LR for detecting advanced proximal caries · Proximal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)
In the conventional (all-studies) meta-analysis, the negative lr of radiographic detection for advanced proximal caries was 0.58 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.65) (ungraded).
3 findings from 1 review
Negative LR 0.58 [0.52, 0.65]
22 studies
GRADE not reported
Negative LR 0.58 [0.52, 0.65]
22 studies
GRADE not reported
Negative LR 0.58 [0.52, 0.65]
22 studies
GRADE not reported
Specificity for detecting all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)
In the conventional (all-studies) meta-analysis, pooled specificity of visual detection for all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries was 75.3% (95% CI 70 to 80) (ungraded).
3 findings from 1 review
Specificity 75.3 [70, 80]
67 studies
GRADE not reported
Specificity 91.2 [88, 94]
12 studies
GRADE not reported
Specificity 77.0 [73, 81]
51 studies
GRADE not reported
PPV for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)
In the German private-practice setting, the positive predictive value of visual detection for advanced occlusal caries was 77.9% at an assumed prevalence of 22.0% (ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
PPV 77.9
50 studies
GRADE not reported
PPV 30.6
55 studies
GRADE not reported
Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) change · Patients with early caries lesions in permanent teeth (non-fluoridated water area)
Adding CPP-ACP to fluorides did not significantly change QLF outcomes for smooth-surface early caries lesions versus fluorides alone; not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
NPV for detecting all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)
In the German private-practice setting, the negative predictive value of radiographic detection for all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries was 91.4% at an assumed prevalence of 11.0% (ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
NPV 91.4
9 studies
GRADE not reported
NPV 85.0
11 studies
GRADE not reported