Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

828 questions · 1,007 findings · 63 reviews · All outcomes

No studies found 110 · 10.9%GRADE not reported 709 · 70.4%Very low 84 · 8.3%Low 70 · 7%Moderate 33 · 3.3%High 1 · 0.1%

Calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal) vs Calcium sulphate hemihydrate (DentoGen)

Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

It is very uncertain whether calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal) changes radiological failure compared with calcium sulphate hemihydrate (DentoGen) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Biodentine vs Propolis

Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

Biodentine showed no clear difference in clinical failure compared with propolis; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Sealapex (eugenol-free calcium hydroxide)

Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) showed no clear difference in clinical failure compared with sealapex (eugenol-free calcium hydroxide); GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Non-rinse conditioner + acetone-based total-etch adhesive vs Acetone-based total-etch adhesive

Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

It is very uncertain whether non-rinse conditioner + acetone-based total-etch adhesive changes radiological failure compared with acetone-based total-etch adhesive (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/dimethyl isosorbide/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/DMI/PCa) vs Potassium nitrate/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/PCa)

Clinical success (absence of periapical pathology, tenderness to pressure and fistula formation) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): all 18 patients receiving KNO3/DMI/PCa responded favourably (0/18 developed clinical symptoms) versus 9/17 in the KNO3/PCa group; symptomatic teeth required endodontic therapy or extraction.…
    1 study · 35 participants
    GRADE not reported

Calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical symptoms at 12 months · Adults (aged 20 to 60 years, mean 27) with deep carious lesions in permanent teeth (indirect or direct pulp capping, or complete caries…
1 finding from 1 review
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Complete caries removal
    Analysis 2.2 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following complete caries removal, Dycal vs Cavitec). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Life (calcium hydroxide pulp-capping material) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical symptoms at 12 months · Adults (aged 20 to 60 years, mean 27) with deep carious lesions in permanent teeth (indirect or direct pulp capping, or complete caries…
1 finding from 1 review
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Complete caries removal
    Analysis 2.2 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following complete caries removal, Life vs Cavitec). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/dimethyl isosorbide/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/DMI/PCa) vs Polycarboxylate cement (PCa) alone

Clinical success (absence of periapical pathology, tenderness to pressure and fistula formation) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): all 18 patients receiving KNO3/DMI/PCa responded favourably (0/18 developed clinical symptoms) versus 10/12 in the PCa group. "The results in groups two and three were statistically…
    1 study · 30 participants
    GRADE not reported

Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/PCa) vs Polycarboxylate cement (PCa) alone

Clinical success (absence of periapical pathology, tenderness to pressure and fistula formation) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): 9/17 in the KNO3/PCa group and 10/12 in the PCa group developed clinical symptoms requiring endodontic therapy or extraction. No significance test reported for this specific contrast; no…
    1 study · 29 participants
    GRADE not reported

Dental cavity liner (e.g. calcium hydroxide, glass ionomer, resin-modified glass ionomer, or flowable composite) placed under the restoration vs No cavity liner or a different liner material

Restoration longevity · Patients with deep caries lesions in mature or immature permanent (posterior) teeth, with no symptoms or reversible pulpitis

Cavity liners may make little or no difference to restoration longevity (high success across groups; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Higher drinking-water fluoride exposure vs Null / lowest drinking-water fluoride exposure (reference)

Fracture · general population

Non-linear positive dose-response: little change in overall fracture risk below ~1.5 mg/L drinking-water fluoride, with risk increasing above that threshold (RR 1.06, 1.19, 1.35 at 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 mg/L vs null); ungraded (4 studies).

4 findings from 1 review
Show 1 more finding

Anorexia nervosa (as exposure; diagnosed by DSM-III/III-R/IV/V) vs Healthy controls

Percentage of bleeding on probing (BOP) · Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general community-dwelling population

Anorexia nervosa is associated with significantly increased bleeding on probing versus healthy controls (MD 16.57%, 95% CI 12.89 to 20.25; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Higher drinking-water fluoride exposure vs Null / lowest drinking-water fluoride exposure (reference)

Risk of femoral fractures · general population

Femoral-fracture risk was mildly U-shaped: RR 0.86 at 0.5 mg/L rising to 1.06 at 1.8 mg/L drinking-water fluoride vs null; risk mostly below null across the range; ungraded.

2 findings from 1 review
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Drinking-water fluoride 1.8 mg/L vs null
    RR 1.06 [0.67, 1.69]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Drinking-water fluoride 0.5 mg/L vs null
    RR 0.86 [0.71, 1.05]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported

Higher drinking-water fluoride exposure vs Null / lowest drinking-water fluoride exposure (reference)

Risk of fragility fractures · general population

Fragility-fracture risk overall was slightly U-shaped: RR 0.93 up to 0.9 mg/L, ~1.00 at 1.48 mg/L, 1.05 at 1.8 mg/L drinking-water fluoride vs null; ungraded.

5 findings from 1 review
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Drinking-water fluoride up to 0.9 mg/L vs null
    RR 0.93 [0.84, 1.02]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Drinking-water fluoride 1.8 mg/L vs null
    RR 1.05 [0.82, 1.35]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Sensitivity (excluding high risk-of-bias studies): 0.8-1.5 mg/L vs null
    RR 0.93 [0.72, 1.21]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported
Show 2 more findings
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Drinking-water fluoride 1.48 mg/L vs null
    RR 1.00 [0.82, 1.21]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported
  • The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes
    Long-term / lifetime fluoride exposure · General population; 37 observational studies (1944-2024), predominantly North America (USA, Canada) and Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden), plus UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Ethiopia; exposure mainly community drinking-water fluoride · Sensitivity (excluding high risk-of-bias studies): 1.8 mg/L vs null
    RR 0.95 [0.70, 1.29]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported