Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for more than 12 months is associated with higher ECC prevalence (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 1.86 [1.48, 2.35]
13 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for more than 24 months is associated with higher ECC prevalence (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 2.99 [1.03, 8.67]
4 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for 12-24 months is associated with higher ECC prevalence (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
PR 3.32 [1.57, 5.07]
2 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for 12-24 months may not increase ECC risk (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
RR 1.21 [0.82, 1.78]
5 studies
Low
Treatment failure (annual failure rate) · Children (aged 3-5.5 years) with early childhood caries in anterior primary teeth (>=2 carious surfaces), no pulp therapy
Zirconia crowns failed less than composite strip crowns (3.3% vs 15% annual failure) in one RCT; low quality of evidence (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Microbial reduction (viable count, log CFU/mL) · Patients with dental caries (in vivo cariogenic microorganisms, including children with early childhood caries)
In randomized clinical trials, photodynamic therapy significantly reduced cariogenic microbial counts versus untreated control (SMD -1.16, 95% CI -2.02 to -0.30; 2 trials), but heterogeneity was high (I2=70%) and considered too high to rely on; certainty was not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Development of any (cavitated or non-cavitated) carious lesion · Children younger than 6 years with caries-free primary dentition (no cavitated or non-cavitated lesions at baseline)
Preschool children with mutans streptococci at baseline probably have about four times higher odds of developing early childhood caries (OR 4.13; moderate certainty).
10 findings from 1 review
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes6 months to 3.5 years · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Overall
OR 4.13 [3.33, 5.12]
12 studies · 3010 participants
Moderate
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes6 months to 3.5 years · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Sample: plaque
OR 5.16 [2.99, 8.91]
5 studies · 736 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes6 months to 3.5 years · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Sample: saliva
OR 3.92 [3.20, 4.80]
9 studies · 2577 participants
GRADE not reported
Show 7 more findings
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes1 year · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Follow-up: 1 year
OR 4.37 [3.50, 5.45]
4 studies · 2016 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes2.7 years (31 months median) · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Follow-up: 2.7 years (31 months median)
OR 33.00 [3.18, 342.26]
1 study · 28 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes2 years · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Follow-up: 2 years
OR 2.53 [1.22, 5.23]
4 studies · 297 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes6 months to 3.5 years · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Microbiological assessment: quantitative (culture/CFU counting)
OR 3.82 [2.01, 7.26]
6 studies · 732 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes3.5 years (42 months) · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Follow-up: 3.5 years (42 months)
OR 4.23 [2.49, 7.18]
1 study · 366 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes6 months · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Follow-up: 6 months
OR 4.65 [2.01, 10.76]
2 studies · 303 participants
GRADE not reported
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 All outcomes6 months to 3.5 years · Caries-free preschool children (<6 y), primary dentition; community/clinic; studies from Japan, Finland, USA, Sweden and Singapore · Microbiological assessment: semi-quantitative (Dentocult/commercial kit)
OR 4.36 [3.53, 5.39]
6 studies · 2278 participants
GRADE not reported
Future caries experience (dmft/dmfs) · Children younger than 6 years with caries-free primary dentition (no cavitated or non-cavitated lesions at baseline)
Children with mutans streptococci at baseline had a greater future caries experience (SMD 0.85, a large effect; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Development of any (cavitated or non-cavitated) carious lesion · Children younger than 6 years with caries-free primary dentition (no cavitated or non-cavitated lesions at baseline)
Across the sample-based sensitivity analysis, mutans streptococci at baseline were associated with higher odds of developing caries.
1 finding from 1 review