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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

66 questions · 92 findings · 13 reviews

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No studies found 1 · 1.1%GRADE not reported 74 · 80.4%Very low 6 · 6.5%Low 3 · 3.3%Moderate 6 · 6.5%High 2 · 2.2%

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

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

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 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

Fluoride varnish vs placebo

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

In the illustrative network meta-regression the SMD for caries increment showed a treatment-by-year interaction and differed between fluoride in varnish and placebo at randomization years 1954 to 1980; certainty was not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Longitudinal follow-up over time (natural caries progression; no assigned intervention) vs Within-cohort change from baseline to follow-up (>=3 y)

Annual increment in DMFT (permanent dentition) · Children and adolescents (permanent dentition, D3, up to 21 y), Western or comparable populations

In the permanent dentition, the annual DMFT increment ranged from 0.06 to 0.73 across 14 studies, and was higher where baseline caries experience was higher (descriptive range; ungraded).

4 findings from 1 review
Show 1 more finding
  • Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review. 2019 All outcomes
    Per year of follow-up · Western Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand (or comparable Western populations) · Baseline caries experience: moderate
    0.24 to 0.73
    6 studies · 16705 participants
    GRADE not reported

Longitudinal follow-up over time (natural caries progression; no assigned intervention) vs Within-cohort change from baseline to follow-up (>=3 y)

Caries development in permanent teeth · Children and adolescents (permanent dentition, D3, up to 21 y), Western or comparable populations

In the permanent dentition, the annual DMFS increment ranged from 0.07 to 1.77 across 26 studies, and was higher where baseline caries experience was higher (descriptive range; ungraded).

4 findings from 1 review
Show 1 more finding
  • Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review. 2019 All outcomes
    Per year of follow-up · Western Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand (or comparable Western populations) · Baseline caries experience: low
    0.07 to 0.53
    8 studies · 3735 participants
    GRADE not reported

Longitudinal follow-up over time (natural caries progression; no assigned intervention) vs Within-cohort change from baseline to follow-up (>=3 y)

Dental caries: dmfs increment (primary teeth) · Children (primary dentition, d3), Western or comparable populations

In the primary dentition, the annual dmfs increment ranged from -1.0 to 1.0 across 7 studies; values were inconsistent because of tooth exfoliation and could not be pooled (ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Longitudinal follow-up over time (natural caries progression; no assigned intervention) vs Within-cohort change from baseline to follow-up (>=3 y)

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

Male sex (boys) vs Female sex

Caries development in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Gender is not associated with caries development in permanent teeth (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.02; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Sociodemographic / socioeconomic factors (single-parent family, low parental education, family income, socioeconomic status) vs Absence of the factor / reference socioeconomic category

Caries increment in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Evidence on the association between sociodemographic/socioeconomic factors and permanent-teeth caries is weak and inconsistent (3 studies; could not be pooled; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

High Streptococcus mutans colonization in primary dentition (age 2-3 years) vs Lower Streptococcus mutans load

Caries (DMFT/DMFS) in mixed/permanent dentition · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Higher early Streptococcus mutans colonization is associated with more caries in the mixed/permanent dentition (2 studies; not pooled; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Unfavourable oral hygiene and dietary habits (frequent sweet/sugar consumption; low toothbrushing frequency in early childhood) vs Favourable oral hygiene and dietary habits

Caries development in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Early-childhood oral hygiene and dietary habits show inconsistent associations with permanent-teeth caries, often losing significance after adjustment for past caries (2 studies; not pooled; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Xylitol sucking tablets (1 g/day) vs no treatment

Number of infants with a caries increment · Infants/young children (primary teeth; baseline about 1 to 3 years)

Xylitol sucking tablets (1 g/day) showed no clear difference in number of infants with a caries increment compared with no treatment; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Xylitol candy (7.5 g/day) vs Control (sorbitol) candy

Caries increment (dmfs, primary and permanent teeth combined) · Children (mixed dentition; baseline about 8 years)
1 finding from 1 review