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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

2,745 questions · 4,389 findings · 203 reviews · Dental caries

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No studies found 39 · 0.9%GRADE not reported 3,844 · 87.6%Very low 198 · 4.5%Low 137 · 3.1%Moderate 134 · 3.1%High 37 · 0.8%

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

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

Low income vs High income

Prevalence of untreated decay (% DT > 0) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In Australia, low versus high income differed by 11.90 percentage points in prevalence of untreated decay.

5 findings from 1 review
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Postnatal passive tobacco exposure (secondhand/household smoke in infancy) vs No passive tobacco exposure (non-exposed children)

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

Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (often histological; also invasive opening)

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

Bilateral extraction of compromised mandibular first permanent molars vs Age- and gender-matched non-extraction controls

Lower incisor inclination (lingual tipping and retrusion) · Children (approximately 11 years or older) with compromised mandibular first permanent molars

Bilateral lower first permanent molar extraction was associated with lingual tipping and retrusion of the lower incisors in one case-control study; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted)

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

Older adults (population mean age >33.4 years) vs Younger adults (population mean age <=33.4 years)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Studies of older adults (mean age >33.4 years) had higher pooled DMFT than younger adults, but the age to DMFT meta-regression was not statistically significant; ungraded observational evidence.

5 findings from 1 review
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Low socioeconomic status (>22.4% of the population) vs Not applicable

Dental caries · Adult participants in 25 meta-regression studies

The unadjusted meta-regression coefficient for low socioeconomic status was 10.49365.

2 findings from 1 review

Low polymerization shrinkage resin composite (silorane, ormocer, bulk-fill or other modified-monomer composite) vs Conventional methacrylate-based resin composite

Marginal adaptation (clinically detectable deterioration) · People with permanent posterior teeth restored with class I or II direct restorations

At 60 months, marginal adaptation did not differ significantly between the composites (4 groups; ungraded).

5 findings from 1 review
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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)

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

Secondary education vs University education

Prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In United States, secondary versus university education differed by 27.5 percentage points in prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health.

4 findings from 1 review
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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)

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

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

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

Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted)

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

Fluoride in rinse 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 rinse and no treatment at every displayed randomization year; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride in dentifrice 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 dentifrice and placebo at every displayed randomization year; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Women who experienced preterm birth vs Women who did not experience preterm birth (term)

Decayed, missing, filled surfaces (DMFS) · pregnant women

Women who experienced preterm birth did not have a significantly different DMFS than those who did not (mean difference -0.15, 95% CI -3.40 to 3.09; 3 studies; I2=89%); 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
    MD -0.15 [-3.40, 3.09]
    3 studies · 2594 participants
    GRADE not reported

Primary education vs University education

Prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In New Zealand, primary versus university education differed by 17.59 percentage points in prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health.

5 findings from 1 review
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Post-secondary education vs University education

Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In Canada, post-secondary versus university education differed by 0.2 decayed teeth in mean number of decayed teeth.

4 findings from 1 review
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Primary education vs University education

Prevalence of untreated decay (% DT > 0) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In Australia, primary versus university education differed by 18.40 percentage points in prevalence of untreated decay.

5 findings from 1 review
Show 2 more findings