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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

2,745 questions · 4,389 findings · 203 reviews · Dental caries

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No studies found 39 · 0.9%GRADE not reported 3,844 · 87.6%Very low 198 · 4.5%Low 137 · 3.1%Moderate 134 · 3.1%High 37 · 0.8%

Absence of toothpaste use vs Toothpaste use

Dental caries · Primary school children in Ethiopia

Absence of toothpaste use was not significantly associated with dental caries (OR 1.42, 95% CI -1.278 to 4.109, p=0.3029; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Reduction in previous year's academic score vs No reduction in academic score

Reduction in previous year's academic score · Primary school children in Ethiopia

Dental caries was associated with higher odds of a reduction in the previous year's academic score (OR 5.51, 95% CI 1.952-9.066; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

M2 Demirjian stages F-G vs Second molar at Demirjian stage D-E at extraction

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

In the mandible, Demirjian stage F-G vs D-E was not significantly associated with space closure (OR 0.68; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

TT+CC (homozygous) genotypes vs TC (heterozygous) genotype

Dental caries · Children (<18 years) with vs without dental caries

In the Real-time quantitative PCR genotyping subgroup, TaqI(rs731236) over-dominant model: TT+CC vs TC showed a significant association with caries (OR 1.52); ungraded.

8 findings from 1 review
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CO2 laser (carbon dioxide) vs No anticaries intervention (untreated enamel)

Enamel surface / cross-sectional microhardness · Human / bovine enamel specimens under cariogenic challenge (in situ / ex vivo)

CO2 laser irradiation changes enamel microhardness versus untreated enamel (MD 49.55, CI 37.74 to 61.37; ungraded, 3 ex-vivo studies, I2=48%); the forest plot shows higher microhardness in laser-treated enamel, although the review text states the opposite.

1 finding from 1 review

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency (low maternal 25(OH)D during pregnancy) vs Adequate prenatal vitamin D (sufficient maternal 25(OH)D)

Dental caries in children · Children aged 6 to 8 years whose mothers' prenatal vitamin D status was assessed

In the single study of children aged 6-8 years, the association was not statistically significant (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.84-1.30); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Gene sequencing (GS) applied to diagnose/manage oral conditions (predominantly 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing of the oral microbiome; also genome-wide/whole-genome sequencing) vs Negligible ('abysmal') effect of gene sequencing; no separate comparator arm (within-sample event contrast in the forest plots)

Noticeable impact of gene sequencing on diagnosing/managing oral conditions · Human patients (any age) with oral-cavity related disorders (e.g. dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, peri-implant mucositis,…

Pooled across 8 clinical trials, gene sequencing had a statistically significant impact on diagnosing/managing oral-cavity disorders (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.46-0.54); certainty not GRADE-rated.

2 findings from 1 review

Teledentistry (index test): dental caries diagnosis from photographs taken with DSLR or smartphone cameras; store-and-forward vs Visual or clinical examination

Overall diagnostic accuracy (agreement) · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition undergoing dental caries assessment

Where reported (about 5 studies, Table 2), overall diagnostic accuracy was high (about 93% to 97.6%); no pooled estimate and certainty not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Cranberry extract / juice and proanthocyanidin (flavonoid) fractions vs Untreated or vehicle control (some studies vs positive antimicrobial controls, e.g. chlorhexidine/fluoride)

Biofilm formation (reduction) · Streptococcus mutans (in vitro cultures and biofilms)

Cranberry extract reduces S. mutans biofilm formation in vitro (10 studies; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Genome-wide common variants (additive dosage; present-study GWAS) vs Genome-wide significance threshold (P<5E-8)

Periodontal disease - genome-wide-significant loci (present study) · Japanese adults (present-study cohort)

The present Japanese GWAS found no genome-wide-significant loci for periodontal disease (top suggestive rs12624579/SYNDIG1); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review
  • Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies two novel loci associated with dental caries. 2024 All outcomes
    Lifelong (germline genotype) · Population-based genetic association study (Japanese direct-to-consumer genetic testing cohort) · Present-study GWAS (Japanese)
    In the present Japanese GWAS, no loci reached genome-wide significance for periodontal disease; several loci reached the suggestive level (P<1E-5). Top-associated variant rs12624579 (SYNDIG1 intron).
    1 study · 45525 participants
    GRADE not reported

Grade level 1-4 (first cycle) vs Grade level 5 or above

Dental caries · Primary school children in Ethiopia

Being in grade levels 1-4 was associated with higher odds of dental caries (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.523-3.397; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Second molar at Demirjian stage A-D at extraction vs Second molar at Demirjian stage G-H at extraction

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

In the mandible, Demirjian stage A-D vs G-H was not significantly associated with space closure (OR 2.75; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Maternal smoking during pregnancy vs No maternal smoking during pregnancy

Dental caries · children

Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with higher odds of dental caries in children (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.05; ungraded).

14 findings from 2 reviews · compare the 2 reviews
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Mouth-rinse probiotic vs placebo or control

Salivary pH · Children and/or adolescents (<18 years) without background systemic disease

In a subgroup analysis, mouth-rinse probiotics reduced salivary pH (MD -0.40, 95%CI -0.54 to -0.26; p-interaction<0.01); not GRADE-rated.

1 finding from 1 review
  • Efficacy of Probiotic Consumption on Oral Outcomes in Children and/or Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
    Healthy children and/or adolescents (<18 years) without systemic disease; RCTs from multiple countries (India, Thailand, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Poland, Colombia, Saudi Arabia); mostly school/community and clinic settings · Probiotic presentation: mouth rinse (vs other presentations; p-interaction<0.01)
    MD -0.40 [-0.54, -0.26]
    Studies not reported
    GRADE not reported

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Nano-silver fluoride (NSF; with or without green tea extract)

Caries arrestment at the surface level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)

In one trial, nano-silver fluoride arrested more surfaces than SDF (OR 0.52 favoring the comparator; ungraded subgroup).

1 finding from 1 review

Cranberry extract / juice and proanthocyanidin (flavonoid) fractions vs Untreated or vehicle control (some studies vs positive antimicrobial controls, e.g. chlorhexidine/fluoride)

pH drop / acidogenicity buffering · Streptococcus mutans (in vitro cultures and biofilms)

Cranberry extract reduces S. mutans acidogenicity / glycolytic pH drop in vitro (5 studies; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review