evidencegaps
Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

Refine by population, intervention, comparison or outcome
More filters
Evidence found and GRADE certainty

558 questions · 704 findings · 64 reviews · Dental caries

Sort:Best matchNewestHighest certaintyDownload CSV
No studies found 91 · 12.9%GRADE not reported 441 · 62.6%Very low 76 · 10.8%Low 73 · 10.4%Moderate 21 · 3%High 2 · 0.3%

Resin sealant (one micro-invasive treatment) vs Resin infiltration alone

Caries (lesion) progression (radiographic) · Dentate children and adults with non-cavitated proximal caries lesions extending into enamel or dentine (not pulp) in primary or permanent…
1 finding from 1 review

Resin infiltration vs Non-invasive measures (fluoride varnish/toothpaste, flossing, oral hygiene instruction, sham/standard of care)

Caries (lesion) progression (radiographic) · Dentate children and adults with non-cavitated proximal caries lesions extending into enamel or dentine (not pulp) in primary or permanent…

Resin infiltration led to lower caries (lesion) progression (radiographic) compared with fluoride varnish, sham/placebo, or flossing advice (non-invasive…; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Postbiotic products (postbiotic toothpaste; heat-killed/postbiotic oral lozenges; inactivated-bacteria tablets) vs Placebo, fluoride toothpaste, or standard post-filling care (varies by trial)

Streptococcus mutans count · Humans at risk of dental caries (children aged 6-12 years; adults with dental caries)

Postbiotic products reduce salivary S. mutans counts in human trials, though not always significantly (ungraded narrative synthesis).

1 finding from 1 review
  • Postbiotics and Dental Caries: A Systematic Review. 2025 All outcomes
    Daily for 14 days to 4 weeks · Clinical; salivary/plaque sampling
    Three RCTs reported reduced salivary S. mutans counts after postbiotic intervention; the reduction was statistically significant in Lin 2022 but non-significant in Basir 2022; no pooled estimate.
    3 studies
    GRADE not reported

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Other methods (pooled: ART/glass ionomer cement, nano-silver fluoride, sodium fluoride varnish, placebo)

Adverse effects (tooth staining and other side effects) · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)

SDF commonly causes black staining of arrested lesions; only mild, transient adverse events were reported, with no major adverse events (ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

38% SDF (indirect pulp capping) vs Resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC)

Secondary prevention of caries · children with deep occlusal carious lesions in permanent molars

No significant difference in secondary caries prevention was reported; no effect estimate or GRADE rating was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

38% SDF plus potassium iodide (KI) (indirect pulp capping) vs Resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC)

Secondary prevention of caries · children with deep occlusal carious lesions in permanent molars

No significant difference in secondary caries prevention was reported; no effect estimate or GRADE rating was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

38% SDF (every 6 months) vs no treatment

Inactive (arrested) carious lesions on permanent first molars · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars

Six-monthly SDF produced significantly more inactive (arrested) lesions than no treatment in children's permanent molars (0.3 vs 0.1; p<0.05; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant vs Resin-based sealant

Retention of sealant (complete or partial retention) · Children with caries-free second primary molars, aged 4-8 years (dental clinic, Turkey and Spain)
1 finding from 1 review
  • Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
    6-24 months
    Effect estimate not calculable; 69 (2 studies). Retention equivocal: Unal 2015 100% (fluoride resin) vs 96.0% (resin) at 12 months; Baca 2007 84.1% (fluoride resin) vs 97.7% (resin) at 12 months; at 24 months 87.8% vs…
    2 studies · 69 participants
    Very low

Glass ionomer-based sealant vs No sealant (control/no treatment)

Retention of sealant (complete or partial retention) · Children with caries-free primary first molars (with or without caries on other teeth), aged 1-5 years (paediatric clinic/dental school,…
1 finding from 1 review
  • Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
    6-30 months
    Chadwick 2005: one or more sealants fully/partially retained in 69 (31.2%) children at 12-30 months; Joshi 2019: at 12 months 75 (43.6%) teeth completely retained, 58 (33.7%) partially retained, 39 (22.7%) completely…
    2 studies
    GRADE not reported

Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant vs No sealant (control/no treatment)

Retention of sealant (complete or partial retention) · Children with caries-free or non-cavitated carious lesion primary molars, aged 3-7 years (paediatric department, dental hospital, France)
1 finding from 1 review
  • Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12-24 months
    At 12 months, sealants on 96 (70.1%) surfaces completely retained, 25 (18.3%) partially retained, 16 (11.6%) completely lost; at 24 months, 58 (45.3%) completely retained, 29 (22.7%) partially retained, 41 (32%)…
    1 study
    GRADE not reported

Flowable resin composite vs Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant

Retention of sealant (complete or partial retention) · Children who were regular dental attenders with caries-free first or second primary molars (public health service clinic, Brazil)
1 finding from 1 review
  • Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months
    Effect estimate not calculable. All sealants were completely or partially retained; 40 (1 RCT). Flowable composite: 39/40 completely retained (1 partially lost) at 6 months; resin-based: 33 completely and 7 partially…
    1 study · 40 participants
    Low

440 to 550 ppm F toothpaste vs Non-fluoride (0 ppm F) placebo toothpaste

Caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start)

440 to 550 ppm F toothpaste showed no clear difference in caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT compared with non-fluoride (0 ppm F) placebo toothpaste (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

1000 to 1250 ppm F toothpaste vs 250 ppm F toothpaste

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start)

1000 to 1250 ppm F toothpaste may leads to lower caries increment, surface index D(M)FS compared with 250 ppm F toothpaste (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

1450 ppm F toothpaste vs 250 ppm F toothpaste

Caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT · Young children with primary (deciduous) dentition (aged 1 to 6 years at study start)

1450 ppm F toothpaste showed no clear difference in caries increment, tooth index d(m)ft compared with 250 ppm F toothpaste (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

1000 to 1250 ppm F toothpaste vs 440 to 550 ppm F toothpaste

Caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start)

1000 to 1250 ppm F toothpaste showed no clear difference in caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT compared with 440 to 550 ppm F toothpaste (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

1450 ppm F toothpaste vs 250 ppm F toothpaste

Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Young children with primary (deciduous) dentition (aged 1 to 6 years at study start)

1450 ppm F toothpaste showed no clear difference in caries increment, surface index d(m)fs compared with 250 ppm F toothpaste (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review