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
Oral health practices · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs
Toothbrush and toothpaste use was common, but lower in disadvantaged or slum populations where compared.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
11 studies
GRADE not reported
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
no estimate extracted
6 studies
GRADE not reported
Enamel surface microhardness · Demineralised / white-spot-lesion enamel (in vitro specimens)
In demineralised enamel, Er:YAG laser irradiation did not significantly change surface microhardness versus untreated control (SMD 0.66, 95% CI -1.12 to 2.44; 2 in vitro studies; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Primary school children in Ethiopia
A history of toothache was associated with higher odds of dental caries (OR 2.99, 95% CI 2.679-3.314; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 2.99 [2.679, 3.314]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Use of alternative/indigenous mouth-cleaning implements · Adult residents of slums and non-slum urban settings of LMICs
Indigenous/alternative cleaning tools and home remedies are widely used, more so in rural/slum groups; ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Alternative implements included toothpowder, chewing-stick, neem, charcoal, sand, snuff, salt, miswak, cotton wool and the fingers; native/indigenous tools were used more by rural and slum/disadvantaged residents than…
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Enamel demineralization (QLF ΔF) · Human tooth enamel specimens, sound/intact (in vitro)
Er:YAG laser irradiation significantly reduced enamel mineral loss versus untreated control (SMD -2.09, 95% CI -3.29 to -0.88; 4 in vitro studies; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
SMD -2.09 [-3.29, -0.88]
4 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries in primary teeth: dmft (3 years) · Institutionalized orphan children (roughly 3 to 18 years)
Primary-teeth caries experience (dmf) was higher in institutionalized children than parented children but not significantly so (pooled MD 0.64; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
White spot lesion incidence · High caries-risk patients: fixed-orthodontic-appliance patients and children with partially erupted permanent molars
Low-power CO2 laser (LLLT) is associated with a lower incidence of new white spot lesions than placebo (OR 0.21, CI 0.15 to 0.30; ungraded, 3 RCTs, considerable heterogeneity I2=71%).
1 finding from 1 review
Enamel acid resistance (cross-sectional microhardness) · Human enamel in pits and fissures (in situ / ex vivo)
Nd:YAG laser increased enamel acid resistance versus untreated enamel in pits and fissures (ungraded, 1 ex-vivo study, no pooled estimate).
1 finding from 1 review
Calcium ions released in acidic solution · Human tooth enamel specimens, sound/intact (in vitro)
Er:YAG laser irradiation did not significantly change calcium ions released into acidic solution versus untreated control (SMD -0.40, 95% CI -0.96 to 0.15; 6 in vitro studies, I2=80%; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Model development with reported performance measures (per CHARMS) · Individuals of any age at risk of caries increment
No original CAMBRA or CAT model-development studies reporting performance measures according to CHARMS were found (evidence gap); these tools appeared only as validated models within other studies.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
0 studies
No studies found
MMP-2 activity · Human root and coronal carious dentin
No difference in MMP-2 activity was found in root versus coronal carious dentin (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
MMP-8 location/depth · Human ex vivo carious dentin
MMP-8 showed no statistical difference by lesion location; the evidence is very uncertain (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
MMP-9 location/depth · Human carious dentin
Opposite effect directions were reported for MMP-9 by lesion depth or location (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
3 studies
Very low
Bacterial collagenolytic enzymatic activity · Human ex vivo carious lesions / caries-associated biofilm
Bacterial collagenolytic enzymatic activity in caries biofilm is inconclusive across two small studies (ungraded; GRADE not feasible).
1 finding from 1 review
Results are inconclusive: protein-degrading bacteria isolated from root caries biofilm were capable of degrading collagen (Prevotella, Actinobaculum, Propionibacterium predominant; proportion 7% in root caries)…
2 studies · 9 participants
GRADE not reported
MMP-2 location/depth · Human ex vivo carious dentin
No clear direction of MMP-2 presence by lesion depth/location was found; the evidence is very uncertain (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
MMP-20 location/depth (outer vs inner) · Human ex vivo carious dentin
MMP-20 probably decreases in outer compared with inner carious dentin (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Collagen-degrading bacteria · Root caries lesion biofilm
Protein-degrading bacteria capable of degrading collagen were detected in root caries biofilm.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
1 study
GRADE not reported
MMP-13 activity · Human root and coronal carious dentin
MMP-13 may be increased in root compared with coronal carious dentin (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
1 study · 7 participants
Very low