Annual decline in percentage of caries-free children (primary dentition, d3) · Children (primary dentition, d3), Western or comparable populations
In the primary dentition, the annual decline in the percentage of caries-free children ranged from 3.8% to 12.2% across 6 studies (descriptive range, no pooled estimate; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries experience (mean dmft) · Children aged 1-18 years
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).
4 findings from 1 review
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Developmental defects of enamel measured by any validated index · Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
A single small study suggested developmental enamel defects were more frequent in children with JIA, but the evidence is insufficient (1 study; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
The only study reporting developmental enamel defects [22] found the condition more frequent among children with JIA than healthy peers, but the sample size was too small to draw any reliable conclusion.
1 study · 110 participants
GRADE not reported
Acceptability · Caries-free children to young adults with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
Both laser and acid-etching preparation were well accepted by patients (VAS, P = 1.000; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Kumar 2016 (Er,Cr:YSGG laser vs acid-etching): patient acceptance scored on a visual analogue scale; both preparations well accepted, P = 1.000; no significant difference.
1 study · 50 participants
GRADE not reported
Clinical (chair-side) time · Caries-free children to young adults with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
Laser conditioning was reported to take less chair-side time than acid-etching in the studies that measured it, but times were not pooled (ungraded, narrative).
1 finding from 1 review
Walsh 1996 reported laser conditioning time of 7 s vs 70 s for acid preparation; Kumar 2016 reported Er,Cr:YSGG exposure ~10 s vs >35 s for acid etching; laser conditioning was shorter but times were not pooled, and…
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Oral ulcerations · Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
A single study reported more oral ulcerations in children with JIA (5/41) than without JIA (1/41); evidence is limited to one study (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Dental calculus accumulation
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Children aged 5-7 years (early school-age)
In early school-age children (5-7 y) from a low-contamination area, one study reported higher DMFT/dmft in exposed than non-exposed children; the estimate was not pooled (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest of dentine caries · Preschool children with active dentine caries in primary teeth (mean age 3.4-4.0 years)
Silver diamine fluoride was about 2.5 times more likely than sodium fluoride to arrest dentine caries surfaces at 18 months (pooled OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.25 to 5.10; 2 RCTs), although between-study heterogeneity was high (I2=90.3%); certainty of evidence was not formally graded.
2 findings from 1 review
Caries incidence rate (first D3 lesion) per person-year at risk (permanent dentition) · Children and adolescents (permanent dentition, D3, up to 21 y), Western or comparable populations
In the permanent dentition, the pooled caries incidence rate was 0.11 per person-year at risk (95% CI 0.09 to 0.13; random-effects meta-analysis of 15 studies), i.e., about 11 of every 100 caries-free persons develop dentine caries each year (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Plaque · Medically healthy individuals (adults and children, 6-60 years)
Placebo rinse did not significantly change plaque relative to baseline; not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
Coronal carious lesions arrest · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
One review reported prevented fractions of 55 to 96% favouring 38% SDF over fluoride varnish or placebo for arresting coronal caries in primary teeth (two studies; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 55–96
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Coronal carious lesions prevention · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
One review reported a 54% prevented fraction for fluoride varnish versus placebo for preventing coronal caries in primary teeth (one study; ungraded; comparator intervention, not SDF).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 54
1 study
GRADE not reported
Incremental cost‐effectiveness · Children younger than 6 years (healthy except for dental caries)
In children younger than 6 years, OHPPs were associated with lower cost per DMFT/S (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.32; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Sealant retention rate (completely retained) · Caries-free children to young adults with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
At 18 months, laser preparation alone did not differ significantly from acid-etching for sealant retention (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.23 to 2.85; ungraded, single study, high risk of bias).
6 findings from 1 review
OR 0.82 [0.23, 2.85]
1 study · 16 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 1.22 [0.69, 2.16]
3 studies · 80 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 1.05 [0.61, 1.80]
3 studies · 73 participants
GRADE not reported
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OR 2.78 [0.87, 8.91]
2 studies · 65 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 1.15 [0.63, 2.10]
1 study · 43 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 0.87 [0.31, 2.45]
1 study · 16 participants
GRADE not reported
Coronal carious lesions arrest · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
One review reported a risk ratio of 2.54 favouring SDF over placebo/no treatment for arresting coronal caries in primary teeth (no CI; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
RR 2.54
2 studies
GRADE not reported
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
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)
38% SDF + potassium iodide solution (applied annually) may not differ from no treatment for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 2.36, 95% CI 0.66 to 8.42; very low certainty).
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)
5% NaF varnish was probably less effective than Resin infiltration + 5% NaF varnish for arrest or reversal of occlusal carious lesions (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.83; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Clinical failure · Children with carious vital pulp exposure in primary incisors
Pulpotomy may not differ from pulpectomy for clinical failure; no GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review