Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

61 questions · 95 findings · 11 reviews

No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 88 · 92.6%Very low 7 · 7.4%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Socioeconomic status category vs Not applicable (single-group prevalence)

High SES prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries

About 25% of children with caries in LMICs were of high SES (pooled prevalence 0.245, 95% CI 0.162 to 0.339; 5 studies; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Sugary drinks/sweets consumption vs Children without dental caries

Dental caries (association with sugary drinks/sweets consumption) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries

Sugary drinks/sweets consumption was associated with about twice the odds of dental caries in LMIC children (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.60; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Ever utilised dental services · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Ever-use of dental services is low-to-moderate (17%-71%) and generally lower in slum/rural groups; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Periodontal disease prevalence · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Periodontal disease prevalence is high (23%-99%) across LMIC urban/slum populations; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Dental service utilisation within the past year · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Past-year dental service use varies widely (4%-72%); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban setting

Determinants of oral diseases · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Older age, lower education and income, poor oral hygiene, and disadvantaged residential setting were associated with oral diseases; directions varied across studies.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum residence vs Non-slum urban setting

Dental caries · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Slum residents had non-significantly higher odds of caries than non-slum residents (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.94-1.56; single study); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum residence vs Non-slum urban setting

Periodontal pocket (odds), slum vs non-slum residence · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Slum residents had significantly higher odds of periodontal pocketing than non-slum residents (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.13-1.98; single study); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Mean DMFT ranges from 0.26 to 16.6 across LMIC urban/slum populations; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Dental trauma prevalence · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Dental trauma appears more common in urban and disadvantaged settings; ungraded, few studies.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Use of toothbrush and toothpaste for mouth cleaning · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Toothbrush/paste is the commonest cleaning method but is used less in slum/disadvantaged/rural groups than urban/non-slum groups; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Pattern of dental service utilisation and barriers · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Dental service use is low, episodic and pain-driven, with widespread self-care and cost/funding barriers; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Frequency of mouth cleaning · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Twice-daily cleaning (recommended) is uncommon; most clean once, in the morning; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Oral disease burden, slum vs non-slum urban comparison · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Where compared, oral disease burden is generally higher in slums than non-slum urban/national populations (5 studies; 1 found no difference); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Dental caries prevalence · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Dental caries prevalence in LMIC urban/slum populations ranges widely (13%-76%); not GRADE-rated (narrative synthesis).

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban setting

Oral disease prevalence · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Oral disease prevalence was generally high and worse in slum settings where compared, but no meta-analysis was conducted.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban / general-urban / national population

Self-perceived (self-rated) oral health status · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Most participants perceive their oral health as satisfactory (one study 39%), more so among younger, male, higher-SES and employed people; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Slum / urban-disadvantaged setting vs Non-slum urban setting

Self-perceived (self-rated) oral health status · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs

Most participants reported positive perceptions of oral health, despite observed disease burden.

1 finding from 1 review