Arrest or reversal of noncavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary and permanent teeth)
5% NaF varnish was probably more effective than no treatment for arrest or reversal of any-coronal carious lesions (RR 2.15, 95% CI 1.8 to 2.57; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Periodontal conditions (gingival inflammation, bleeding on probing, probing depth, clinical attachment loss) · Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
Periodontal conditions (gingival inflammation, bleeding, probing depth, attachment loss) were more frequently reported in children/adolescents with JIA than in healthy peers, although not all studies agreed; no pooled estimate (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Many studies documented poorer periodontal status among children/adolescents with JIA: more gingival inflammation and bleeding [22, 29, 31], bleeding on probing [25], deeper probing depth [25, 26] and periodontal…
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Dental anxiety (subjective and objective scores) · Children (ages 6-12) receiving pit-and-fissure sealants
Er:YAG laser preparation added to acid-etching did not increase children's dental anxiety versus acid-etching alone (P > 0.05; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Shindova 2018 (Er:YAG laser+acid vs acid-etching): no significant difference between initial and final subjective anxiety scores for the two groups; use of the Er:YAG laser did not provoke anxiety (P > 0.05).
1 study · 64 participants
GRADE not reported
Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), fluorescence loss · Patients (mainly children) with white spot lesions (WSL)
CPP-ACP toothpaste did not differ significantly from placebo paste (fluoride control) for white spot lesion remineralization on QLF (MD 0.08, 95% CI -0.91 to 1.08; 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 5% NaF varnish for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 0.8, 95% CI 0.05 to 11.95; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
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
Coronal carious lesions prevention · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition)
Reported prevented fractions for 38% SDF versus placebo for coronal-caries prevention in primary teeth ranged 70 to 78% (two reviews, two studies; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 70–78
2 studies
GRADE not reported
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
Coronal carious lesions prevention · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
One review reported a 64% prevented fraction for 38% SDF versus placebo for preventing coronal caries in permanent first molars (one study; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 64
1 study
GRADE not reported
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
Annual increment in dmft (primary dentition) · Children (primary dentition, d3), Western or comparable populations
In the primary dentition, the annual dmft increment ranged from -0.3 to 0.3 across 4 studies; values were inconsistent because of tooth exfoliation and could not be pooled (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