Biodentine may increase pulpotomy success versus calcium hydroxide at marginal significance (ungraded).
Salivary IL-6 levels are significantly higher in children and young adults with active dental caries than in caries-free or mild-caries controls (SMD 11.60 pg/mL, 95% CI 6.27 to 16.94; 11 studies); ungraded.
Er:YAG laser irradiation significantly reduced demineralised lesion depth versus untreated control (SMD -0.55, 95% CI -0.97 to -0.12; 3 in vitro studies, I2=62%; ungraded).
Breastfeeding for <12 vs ≥12 months was associated with significantly fewer caries (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.86), indicating breastfeeding beyond 12 months increases ECC risk (substantial heterogeneity; ungraded).
A significant salivary microbial (Lactobacillus) load was associated with higher odds of dental caries (OR 3.82, 95% CI 3.439-4.192; ungraded).
Positive predictive values were reported in 10 of the 13 studies that reported sensitivity and specificity; no meta-analysis or GRADE rating was reported.
In the mandible, extraction at 11-12 vs 8-10 years showed no significant difference in one analysis (OR 0.82; not GRADE-rated).
In Asia, children with S-ECC had lower serum 25(OH)D than caries-free children (WMD -19.25 nmol/l; ungraded).
Periodontitis is associated with roughly a threefold higher odds of oral cancer (pooled OR 2.94, 95% CI 2.13-4.07; low certainty of evidence), though heterogeneity is moderate (I2=52.4%).
One study found mandibular Nolla stage 6-7 associated with better space closure (OR 55.1; single study; not GRADE-rated).
ICLs prevalence increased with longer orthodontic treatment duration (meta-regression P=.01; ungraded).
In a subgroup analysis, probiotics reduced the number of caries in adolescents (MD -0.60, 95%CI -0.92 to -0.28; p-interaction=0.02); not GRADE-rated.
In primary dentition, high-frequency sugar consumption was associated with slightly higher, non-significant odds of caries (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.23 to 5.44), with high heterogeneity (I2=83%; ungraded).
Patients with periodontitis had a non-significantly higher mean DMFT (WMD 0.87).
Male institutionalized children had a marginally higher caries risk than females (RR 1.02), a non-significant difference (very low certainty).
About 1.4% of ancient skulls (pooled) had at least one NCCL; crude 17/805 (2.11%) across 6 studies (ungraded, substantial heterogeneity I2=69%).
FokI(rs10735810) C allele was significantly associated with higher caries risk vs T allele (pooled OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.03-1.71); ungraded.
In the mandible, mean patient age was not significantly associated with space closure odds (OR 0.59 per year; not GRADE-rated).
CC+CT genotype at FokI(rs10735810) was associated with ~1.87-fold higher caries risk than TT (dominant model, OR 1.87); ungraded.
No significant association between cesarean vs vaginal delivery and ECC among children with average age >3 years (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.89-1.71).