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
Gingival index (GI) · Individuals assessed for periodontal health (mainly children and adolescents, age >2 years)
Persons with orofacial cleft have a higher gingival index than healthy controls (MD 0.15, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.19; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
In cross-sectional studies, children and adolescents with HIV on antiretroviral therapy had about twice the odds of dental caries versus HIV-negative peers (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.42; very low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesNot specified (cross-sectional) · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Cross-sectional studies
OR 2.04 [1.21, 3.42]
6 studies · 2206 participants
Very low
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesNot specified (case-control) · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Case-control studies
OR 3.15 [0.98, 10.15]
1 study · 99 participants
Very low
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesProspective follow-up (single cohort) · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Cohort studies
OR 2.11 [1.41, 3.17]
1 study · 544 participants
Very low
Relative abundance of S. mutans in saliva · Individuals assessed for dental caries, predominantly children with early childhood caries (ECC) or severe ECC (age about 1 to 4 years)
A few small studies report Streptococcus mutans relative abundance in caries versus caries-free children without pooling; the evidence is ungraded and not meta-analyzed.
1 finding from 1 review
Caries in primary teeth: dmft (3 years) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
In cross-sectional studies, the dmft (primary dentition) index did not differ significantly between HIV+ children on ART and HIV-negative peers (MD 0.92, 95% CI -0.09 to 1.93; very low certainty).
2 findings from 1 review
Dental caries severity (dmfs index, primary dentition) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
In case-control studies, HIV+ children on ART had a significantly higher dmfs index than HIV-negative peers (MD 5.15, 95% CI 2.20 to 8.11; not separately GRADE-rated).
2 findings from 1 review
Dental caries in permanent teeth · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
In cross-sectional studies, the DMFT index did not differ significantly between HIV+ children on ART and HIV-negative peers (MD 0.60, 95% CI -0.53 to 1.72; very low certainty).
2 findings from 1 review
Clinical attachment level (CAL) · Individuals assessed for periodontal health (mainly children and adolescents, age >2 years)
Clinical attachment level loss is greater in persons with orofacial cleft than in healthy controls (p<0.00001), but no pooled effect size was reported (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of S. mutans in saliva · Systemically healthy individuals (children and adults, aged 40 months to 50 years) assessed for dental caries
The relative abundance of S. mutans in saliva is significantly higher in caries-active than caries-free individuals (pooled SMD 1.48, 95% CI 0.45 to 2.50), but heterogeneity is very high (I2=90%); ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary flow rate (stimulated) · Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general community-dwelling population
Stimulated salivary flow rate was significantly lower in anorexia nervosa patients than controls, but only unstimulated flow was meta-analyzed; this outcome is ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary pH · 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 lower salivary pH than healthy controls (MD -0.39, 95% CI -0.54 to -0.24; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Oral microbial community composition and diversity (other caries-associated taxa; alpha- and beta-diversity) · Systemically healthy individuals (children and adults, aged 40 months to 50 years) assessed for dental caries
No oral microbial taxon other than S. mutans was consistently associated with caries; alpha-diversity mostly did not differ between caries-active and caries-free groups and beta-diversity findings were mixed (ungraded, narrative).
1 finding from 1 review
Bleeding Index (BI) · Individuals assessed for periodontal health (mainly children and adolescents, age >2 years)
Bleeding index is significantly higher in persons with orofacial cleft than in healthy controls (p<0.0001), but no pooled effect size was reported (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Oral microbiota composition · Individuals assessed for oral microbiota (mainly children and adolescents)
Oral microbiota composition differs between persons with orofacial cleft and healthy controls, synthesized qualitatively across 8 studies but not meta-analyzed (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
8 studies
GRADE not reported
Prevalence (detection frequency) of S. mutans in plaque · Systemically healthy individuals (children and adults, aged 40 months to 50 years) assessed for dental caries
S. mutans prevalence in plaque is significantly higher in caries-active than caries-free individuals (pooled OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.65 to 4.02; I2=16%); ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Probing pocket depth · Individuals assessed for periodontal health (mainly children and adolescents, age >2 years)
Persons with orofacial cleft have a greater probing pocket depth than healthy controls (MD 0.88, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.95; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of Veillonella spp. · Individuals assessed for dental caries, predominantly children with early childhood caries (ECC) or severe ECC (age about 1 to 4 years)
Evidence on whether Veillonella spp. relative abundance is higher or lower in children with dental caries than caries-free controls is inconsistent across 7 small observational studies; no pooled estimate was produced and the evidence is ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Plaque · Individuals assessed for periodontal health (mainly children and adolescents, age >2 years)
Persons with orofacial cleft have a higher plaque index than healthy controls (MD 0.29, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.34; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary alpha-amylase · Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general community-dwelling population
There is no significant difference in salivary alpha-amylase between anorexia nervosa patients and healthy controls (MD 6.32 U/l, 95% CI -6.14 to 18.79; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary flow rate (unstimulated) · Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general community-dwelling population
Anorexia nervosa probably reduces unstimulated salivary flow rate versus healthy controls (MD -0.27 ml/min, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.24; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review