Caries experience · Children (mean age newborn to ~5.2 years) and their parents/carers
Oral-health-education-only interventions showed at most a marginal effect on tooth-level caries (dmft SMD -0.11, 95% CI -0.21 to -0.00; 2 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries experience at the surface level (dmfs/defs) · Children (mean age newborn to ~5.2 years) and their parents/carers
Oral-health-education-only interventions did not show a statistically significant effect on surface-level caries (dmfs SMD -0.20, 95% CI -0.43 to 0.03; 2 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
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
Reduction in prevalence of baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD) · Alaska Native and American Indian Head Start children
Community and caregiver oral health education was associated with a significant ~25% overall reduction in baby bottle tooth decay among Head Start children (certainty not graded).
1 finding from 1 review
Plaque index (PI) / oral hygiene · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
School-based interventions may reduce dental plaque scores (SMD -0.32, favouring intervention), but the certainty of evidence is very low.
1 finding from 1 review
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
Show 5 more findings
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
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
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in the United Kingdom
In UK studies, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT/S (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.58; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Ireland
The single Irish study showed lower DMFT/S with OHPP (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.61; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Japan
The single Japanese study yielded a degenerate estimate of OR 0.00 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.00; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Incremental cost‐effectiveness · Children younger than 6 years (healthy except for dental caries)
In children younger than 6 years, OHPPs were associated with lower cost per DMFT/S (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.32; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years (studies published 2015 or later)
In studies published from 2015 onward, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.53; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children with dental caries
Oral-health promotion programs were associated with markedly lower odds of DMFT/S in children (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.39; ungraded, very high heterogeneity I2=98.5%).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 0.19 [0.10, 0.39]
8 studies
GRADE not reported
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Finland
The single Finnish study showed lower DMFT/S with OHPP (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.56; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years (studies published before 2015)
In studies published before 2015, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.13; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Cost‐effectiveness · Children aged 6 years and older (healthy except for dental caries)
In children aged 6 years and older, the cost-effectiveness estimate was extremely imprecise and not significant (OR 0.00, 95% CI 0.00 to 48704.6; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 6 years and older (healthy except for dental caries)
In children aged 6 years and older, OHPPs showed no significant effect on DMFT/S (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.01; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review