Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

2,297 questions · 3,638 findings · 215 reviews · All outcomes

No studies found 98 · 2.7%GRADE not reported 2,946 · 81%Very low 263 · 7.2%Low 158 · 4.3%Moderate 137 · 3.8%High 36 · 1%

Dental caries during pregnancy vs Pregnant women without dental caries

Gestational age (preterm birth < 37 weeks) · pregnant women

Pregnant women with dental caries did not have a significantly increased risk of preterm birth (pooled OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.49; 5 studies; I2=35%); certainty of evidence not graded.

1 finding from 1 review
  • Dental caries and preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2018 All outcomes
    Pregnant women assessed around delivery in observational studies across multiple countries (Mexico, Malawi, India, France, Jordan, Finland, Tanzania); mostly retrospective cohort and case-control designs
    OR 1.16 [0.90, 1.49]
    5 studies · 4246 participants
    GRADE not reported

Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Fluoride in dentifrice

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

The illustrative network meta-regression estimated an SMD for caries increment for fluoride in gel versus fluoride in dentifrice across randomization year; the review did not state whether the difference was significant and certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride in rinse vs Fluoride in dentifrice

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

The illustrative network meta-regression estimated an SMD for caries increment for fluoride in rinse versus fluoride in dentifrice across randomization year; the review did not state whether the difference was significant and certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Radiographic caries detection vs Reference standard (often histological; also invasive opening)

All proximal carious lesions · Permanent molar surfaces in diagnostic accuracy studies (mostly in vitro; clinical)

Pooled specificity for radiographic detection of all proximal lesions was 0.900 (95% CI 0.87 to 0.92).

1 finding from 1 review

Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted)

Sensitivity 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 meta-analysis tailored to Germany, pooled sensitivity of visual detection for advanced occlusal caries was 43.7% (95% CI 37 to 51) (ungraded).

3 findings from 1 review

38% SDF solution (applied biannually) vs 12% SDF solution (applied biannually)

Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Primary teeth with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface

38% SDF solution biannually compared with 12% SDF solution biannually: RR 1.29 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.38); High certainty.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride varnish vs Fluoride gel

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

The illustrative network meta-regression estimated an SMD for caries increment for fluoride in varnish versus fluoride in gel across randomization year; the review did not state whether the difference was significant and certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs no treatment

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

In the illustrative network meta-regression the SMD for caries increment differed between fluoride in gel and no treatment at every displayed randomization year; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride varnish vs no treatment

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

In the illustrative network meta-regression the SMD for caries increment differed between fluoride in varnish and no treatment at randomization years 1954 to 1990; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride in rinse vs placebo

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

In the illustrative network meta-regression the SMD for caries increment differed between fluoride in rinse and placebo at randomization years 1954 to 1990; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Conventional restorative treatment with resin composite (CRT-RC) vs Sealing

Caries lesion arrestment · Children with dentin caries lesions in the outer half of dentin on occlusal surfaces of primary teeth

Resin sealing and conventional restorative treatment (resin composite) did not differ significantly for caries lesion arrestment in outer-half occlusal dentin caries of primary teeth (2 studies; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Fluorides combined with CPP-ACP vs Fluorides alone (monotherapy)

Total lesion area divided by total surface area (visual) · Patients with early caries lesions in permanent teeth (non-fluoridated water area)

Adding CPP-ACP to fluorides did not significantly change the lesion-area outcome for smooth-surface early caries lesions versus fluorides alone; not GRADE-rated.

1 finding from 1 review

Placebo vs no treatment

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

In the illustrative network meta-regression the SMD for caries increment differed between placebo and no treatment at randomization years 1970 to 1990; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride in dentifrice vs no treatment

Caries increment in permanent teeth · Children or adolescents

The NMR reported a difference between fluoride in dentifrice and no treatment at every displayed randomisation year; no GRADE assessment was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs placebo

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

In the illustrative network meta-regression the SMD for caries increment differed between fluoride in gel and placebo at randomization years 1954 to 1980; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride varnish vs Fluoride in rinse

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children or adolescents

The illustrative network meta-regression estimated an SMD for caries increment for fluoride in varnish versus fluoride in rinse across randomization year; the review did not state whether the difference was significant and certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review