Oral hygiene measured by mean gingival scores · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
The effect of school-based interventions on gingival scores is uncertain and not statistically significant (SMD 0.12; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
Among children aged 6-8 years, DMFT scores were significantly reduced (SMD -0.11); subgroup not separately GRADE-rated.
8 findings from 1 review
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomesPost-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Age 6-8 years
SMD -0.11 [-0.17, -0.04]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomesPost-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · <=3 intervention activities
SMD -0.58 [-1.62, 0.45]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes<2 years · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Intervention duration <2 years
SMD 0.01 [-0.16, 0.18]
3 studies
GRADE not reported
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Annual increment in DMFS (D3) · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
Oral-health-education interventions significantly reduced net increment in DMFS (SMD -1.05); no significant subgroup difference vs other interventions (P=0.74).
5 findings from 1 review
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomesPost-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Intervention type: oral health education
SMD -1.05 [-2.03, -0.08]
3 studies
GRADE not reported
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomesPost-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · WHO health-promoting-schools framework
SMD -0.57 [-1.56, 0.42]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomesPost-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Non-WHO-framework interventions
SMD -1.88 [-3.15, -0.60]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Show 2 more findings
Dental caries prevalence measured by dmft or DMFT/S score greater than one · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
School-based interventions may reduce the prevalence of dental caries (RR 0.70, favouring intervention), but the certainty of evidence is very low.
3 findings from 1 review
Dental caries · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Good brushing habits (>=2 daily) were associated with 35% lower odds of dental caries (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.92; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with secondary/higher maternal education) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Secondary/higher maternal education showed no significant association with dental caries (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.44; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Caregiver help with tooth brushing prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 54% of children with caries in LMICs received caregiver help with tooth brushing (pooled prevalence 0.541, 95% CI 0.266 to 0.803; 3 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Female sex prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Among children with caries in LMICs, about half were female (pooled prevalence 0.497, 95% CI 0.475 to 0.519; 6 studies; I2=0%; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Sugary drinks/sweets consumption prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 70% of children with caries in LMICs consumed sugary drinks/sweets (pooled prevalence 0.697, 95% CI 0.478 to 0.877; 7 studies; very high heterogeneity; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with primary maternal education) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Primary maternal education was associated with 25% higher odds of dental caries (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.54; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with middle SES) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Middle SES showed no significant association with dental caries (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.10; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries prevalence · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 39% of children in LMICs had dental caries (pooled prevalence 0.387, 95% CI 0.284 to 0.495; 11 studies; very high heterogeneity I2=99%; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
No formal maternal education prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 10% of children with caries in LMICs had mothers with no formal education (pooled prevalence 0.101, 95% CI 0.033 to 0.201; 3 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Primary maternal education prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 42% of children with caries in LMICs had mothers with primary education (pooled prevalence 0.425, 95% CI 0.280 to 0.576; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
Among children aged 5-8 years, net increment in DMFT was not significantly reduced (SMD -0.36); no significant subgroup difference by age.
3 findings from 1 review
Good brushing habits prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 57% of children with caries in LMICs had good brushing habits (pooled prevalence 0.569, 95% CI 0.354 to 0.771; 7 studies; very high heterogeneity; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Secondary/higher maternal education prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 45% of children with caries in LMICs had mothers with secondary or higher education (pooled prevalence 0.450, 95% CI 0.330 to 0.572; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Caregiver help with tooth brushing was associated with 65% lower odds of dental caries (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.93; 3 studies; very high heterogeneity; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Access to/visited dental services prevalence · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 44% of children in LMICs had access to or had visited dental services (pooled prevalence 0.444, 95% CI 0.277 to 0.618; 5 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Middle SES prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 35% of children with caries in LMICs were of middle SES (pooled prevalence 0.353, 95% CI 0.180 to 0.550; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review