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Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Every word you type has to appear somewhere in the question, and the closest matches are ranked first.

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5,762 questions in 263 reviews · Dental caries

current versions
No studies 321 · 5.6%Ungraded 4,450 · 77.2%Very low 455 · 7.9%Low 297 · 5.2%Moderate 200 · 3.5%High 39 · 0.7%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Caries experience measurement (mean D(M)FS, enamel lesions included) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses only)
Caries experience (mean DMFS) · European adolescents aged 12–19 years · Region: Scandinavian
Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
MEAN 4.43 [2.52, 7.81]8 studiesUngraded
Fluorescence-based devices vs Reference standard (histology, operative excavation, or enhanced visual examination)
Sensitivity for detecting enamel caries · Asymptomatic children or adults suspected of enamel caries (clinical studies); extracted teeth (in vitro studies) · Analysis 1: fully within-person comparison (studies evaluating >=3 index tests)
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Sensitivity 0.71 [0.59, 0.81]19 studies · 2849 participantsUngraded
Common genetic variants genome-wide (GWAS; ~3.9 million SNPs with MAF > 5%) vs ECC-unaffected children (per-allele case-control association)
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association at lead SNP rs7325099 (13:28104496; nearest gene(s) LNX2, POLR1D, RPL21) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5… · Cross-sectional (ECC ascertained at the last dental exam before age 6), rs7325099 (13:28104496); effect/non-effect allele A/C; MAF 0.50; direction across 5 cohorts ++?++
Association of Early Childhood Caries with Bitter Taste Receptors: A Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide… (2022)
Z-score (Stouffer's combined Z, 5 cohorts) 4.4855 studies · 2974 participantsUngraded
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls
Dental caries prevalence (DMFT/dmft/DMFS/dmfs > 0) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point)
Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022)
OR 2.70 [2.01, 3.62]2 studies · 1028 participantsUngraded
Enamel caries quantification (DeS/DeT within total D(M)FS/D(M)FT) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses only)
Enamel caries proportion of total caries experience · European adolescents aged 12–19 years · Age group: 16–19 years
Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
Proportion 0.37 [0.24, 0.56]3 studiesUngraded
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF; 38% or 30%), applied at any frequency vs No treatment or another non-invasive/minimally-invasive treatment (ART, sodium fluoride or silver-based varnish, or 12% SDF)
Caries arrest · Children (age 1-10 years) with active cavitated dentin caries lesions in primary molars · Pooled across follow-up evaluations (1-36 months)
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) Efficacy in Arresting Cavitated Caries Lesions in Primary Molars: A Systematic… (2022)
ES 0.33 [0.26, 0.40]5 studies · 1386 participantsUngraded
Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) vs Traditional complementary feeding (TCF)
Overweight/obesity risk · Healthy, term-born, normal-birth-weight infants aged 4-24 months (breastfed and/or formula-fed) in Western… · Follow-up to 24 months, BLISS; randomized controlled trials
Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other… (2022)
RR 0.15 [0.00, 17.79]2 studies · 457 participantsLow
Preformed metal crown (PMC) vs Resin-modified glass-ionomer cement + composite resin (modified open-sandwich restoration)
Treatment failure (annual failure rate) · Children with carious primary molars treated by pulpotomy (vital pulp therapy) · 2 years, RMGIC + composite resin (modified open-sandwich) arm
Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious lesions in pulp treated… (2022)
AFR 3.81 study · 87 participantsUngraded
Fluoride-containing dental care products, primarily toothpaste vs Dietary fluoride sources in medium-fluoridated areas
Contribution to total daily fluoride intake · Children · Medium fluoride in water (0.52-0.77 mg/L)
Fluoride Intake Through Dental Care Products: A Systematic Review. (2022)
Mean percentage contribution 5114 studiesUngraded
Not applicable vs Not applicable
Mean DMFT score · Children aged 12 years (plus or minus one year) in Africa · Overall, urban/rural-status analysis
Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review… (2022)
Mean DMFT 1.1444 [0.9780, 1.3108]NRUngraded
Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) vs Monotherapy or dual antiretroviral therapy
Chronic herpes simplex infection prevalence · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Oral Health among Children Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and… (2022)
No significant difference in chronic herpes simplex infection between CLWH on cART and those on monotherapy or dual therapy (no numeric estimate reported in the text); 1 study(ies).1 studyVery low
Prefabricated zirconia crowns (e.g., NuSmile, Zirkiz, Kinder Krown) vs Other crowns/restorations (stainless steel crowns, pre-veneered SSC, resin composite strip crowns, glass-fiber composite crowns)
Crown retention · Children with primary (deciduous) teeth requiring full-coverage crown restoration · 6 months
Zirconia Crowns for Primary Teeth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. (2022)
RR 1.02 [0.94, 1.11]3 studies · 201 participantsUngraded
Intervention NR
Caries experience - mean dfs (descriptive), primary dentition · CL/P vs no CL/P; Table 4 (1 group/1 study, Dahllof 1989)
Caries in children with and without orofacial clefting: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
Mean dfs (SD) CL/P 7 (SD 8.5) vs no CL/P 3.9 (SD 5.1)1 studyUngraded
Maternal education attainment vs None (descriptive single-group pooled prevalence)
Primary maternal education prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries · Primary education
Individual, Family, and Socioeconomic Contributors to Dental Caries in Children from Low- and Middle-Income… (2022)
Prevalence 0.4246 [0.2799, 0.5763]7 studies · 3240 participantsUngraded
Caries assessment at enamel threshold (D(M)FS>0 or D(M)FT>0, enamel lesions included) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses only)
Caries prevalence · European adolescents aged 12–19 years · Publication year: ≥ 2010
Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
Prevalence 0.72 [0.54, 0.89]15 studiesUngraded
Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs No intervention or usual practice/activities
Dental caries measured by net increment in DMFT scores · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) · Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer), Age 5-8 years
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and… (2022)
SMD -0.36 [-0.76, 0.04]5 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Difference in summary specificity (NMA, Analysis 2) · Imaging vs Transillumination
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Specificity difference (95% CrI) 0.07 [-0.03, 0.20]NRUngraded
Imaging (analog or digital radiographs) vs Reference standard (histology, operative excavation, or enhanced visual examination)
Specificity for detecting enamel caries · Asymptomatic children or adults suspected of enamel caries (clinical studies); extracted teeth (in vitro studies) · Analysis 2: network meta-analysis (all studies evaluating >=2 index tests)
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Specificity 0.89 [0.83, 0.93]64 studies · 24567 participantsLow
Compomer (polyacid-modified composite resin) restoration vs Amalgam, RMGIC, HVGIC, composite resin, bulk-fill composite resin, another compomer, or alternative caries management
Treatment failure (annual failure rate) · Children with previously unrestored, vital carious lesions in primary teeth (no pulp therapy); aged 1.5-11 years · 12-30 months
Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp… (2022)
Annual failure rate (%) 0-14.7%7 studiesUngraded
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls
Dental caries prevalence (DMFT/dmft/DMFS/dmfs > 0) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point), Primary dentition (dmft > 0)
Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022)
OR 1.93 [1.34, 2.79]1 study · 564 participantsUngraded
Non-responsive complementary feeding (NRCF) vs Other models of complementary feeding
Overweight and obesity · Healthy children aged 6–24 months in Western industrialized countries · 15–20 months, observational
Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other… (2022)
No significant association for all comparisons for documented exposures of at least 6 months; 4 observational studies; Very low certainty.4 studiesVery low
Adaptive dragonfly algorithm with neural-network classifier vs KNN or SVM (not disaggregated in source)
Accuracy advantage in test case 2 · Dental images of human beings · Patil et al., 2019
Uses of Different Machine Learning Algorithms for Diagnosis of Dental Caries. (2022)
Accuracy advantage 11.761 study · 40 participantsUngraded
Flowable bulk-fill composite resin vs Compomer
Restoration failure · Children with carious primary teeth · 1 year, Class II
Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp… (2022)
Annual failure rate (%) compomer 0%; bulk-fill composite resin 0%1 study · 32 participantsUngraded
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls
Oral hairy leukoplakia (WHO clinical stage 3) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point)
Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022)
OR 1.00 [0.06, 16.19]2 studies · 217 participantsUngraded
38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs No treatment / other preventive agents (GIC, 5% NaF varnish)
Caries arrest · Children with dentine carious lesions (ICDAS 4-5) in primary teeth · 18-30 months, 38% SDF vs 5% NaF varnish/water (Trieu et al. 2019 meta-analysis)
Minimal intervention dentistry for managing carious lesions into dentine in primary teeth: an umbrella review. (2022)
OR (caries arrest) OR 2.44-3.63 (range); 2.44 = Chu estimate including 30% SDF3 studiesUngraded
Imaging (analog or digital radiographs) vs Reference standard (histology, operative excavation, or enhanced visual examination)
Sensitivity for detecting enamel caries · Asymptomatic children or adults suspected of enamel caries (clinical studies); extracted teeth (in vitro studies) · Analysis 1: fully within-person comparison (studies evaluating >=3 index tests)
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Sensitivity 0.48 [0.35, 0.62]19 studies · 2849 participantsUngraded
Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs No intervention or usual practice/activities
Dental caries measured by DMFS scores · Primary school children (aged 3-16 years) attending primary school in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) · Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer)
Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and… (2022)
SMD -0.26 [-0.70, 0.18]5 studies · 3506 participantsVery low
Dental caries assessment (WHO/clinical diagnostic criteria; caries = DMFT>0) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)
Caries prevalence · 12-year-old children (permanent dentition) in Africa · Data collection period: 2010-2014
Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review… (2022)
Prevalence 0.346 [0.085, 0.606]3 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Difference in summary specificity (NMA, Analysis 2) · Electrical conductance vs Transillumination
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Specificity difference (95% CrI) -0.09 [-0.38, 0.12]NRUngraded
Autopolymerised sealant vs Light polymerised sealant
Development of >=1 new carious lesion (caries incidence) · Children with sound primary molars, aged 2-4 years (municipal dental clinics or hospital paediatric clinics, Denmark) · 24-36 months
Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane
OR 0.58 [0.15, 2.19]1 study · 52 participantsVery low
Fluoride-containing dental care products, primarily toothpaste vs Dietary fluoride sources in poor-fluoridated areas
Contribution to total daily fluoride intake · Children · Poor fluoride in water (<0.3 mg/L)
Fluoride Intake Through Dental Care Products: A Systematic Review. (2022)
Mean percentage contribution 4510 studiesUngraded
Atraumatic restorative treatment with GIC vs Conventional treatment
Pain during procedure · Children (3-13 years) with dentine caries in primary teeth, no pulpal involvement · During procedure
Minimal intervention dentistry for managing carious lesions into dentine in primary teeth: an umbrella review. (2022)
MD -0.65 [-1.38, 0.07]6 studies · 1107 participantsUngraded
Silver diamine fluoride (30% SDF) vs Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART)
Patient discomfort during treatment (anxiety scale) · Children (age 1-10 years) with active cavitated dentin caries lesions in primary molars · During/after the treatment procedure
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) Efficacy in Arresting Cavitated Caries Lesions in Primary Molars: A Systematic… (2022)
Only one study assessed patient discomfort during treatment (SDF vs ART) using the patient's anxiety scale, obtaining almost overlapping results (p = 0.15).1 study · 67 participantsUngraded
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls
Angular cheilitis (WHO clinical stage 2) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point)
Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022)
OR 1.95 [0.16, 23.65]2 studies · 224 participantsUngraded
Multi-surface ART with high-viscosity GIC vs Single-surface ART with high-viscosity GIC
Mean annual restoration failure rate · Children (2-9 years) with caries in posterior primary teeth · First 3 years, Multi-surface
Minimal intervention dentistry for managing carious lesions into dentine in primary teeth: an umbrella review. (2022)
Mean annual failure rate (%) 17NRUngraded
Transillumination and OCT vs Reference standard (histology, operative excavation, or enhanced visual examination)
Sensitivity for detecting enamel caries · Asymptomatic children or adults suspected of enamel caries (clinical studies); extracted teeth (in vitro studies) · Analysis 2: network meta-analysis (all studies evaluating >=2 index tests)
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Sensitivity 0.76 [0.63, 0.86]64 studies · 24567 participantsLow
Caries severity measurement (mean number of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth, DMFT; WHO criteria) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)
Caries severity (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children (permanent dentition) in Africa · Setting: Rural
Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review… (2022)
MEAN 1.133 [0.863, 1.404]11 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Difference in summary specificity (NMA, Analysis 2) · Fluorescence vs Imaging
Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2022)
Specificity difference (95% CrI) -0.05 [-0.14, 0.02]NRUngraded
High-viscosity GIC atraumatic restorative treatment vs Amalgam or composite resin restoration
Restoration survival · Children with occlusoproximal caries in primary teeth · 2–3 years
Minimal intervention dentistry for managing carious lesions into dentine in primary teeth: an umbrella review. (2022)
Pooled ART success estimate (Raggio 2013; not an odds ratio) 1.043 studiesUngraded
Pulpotomy (partial or full) vs None (single-arm pooled success proportion)
Clinical and radiographic success rate (>=6 months) · Human permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis (symptomatic and asymptomatic) due to carious pulp exposure · >=6 months (follow-up 6 to 73.6 months)
Outcome of pulpotomy in permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
Proportion 0.86 [0.76, 0.92]11 studiesVery low
Icon resin infiltration vs Baseline before resin infiltration
Color change · Patients with post-orthodontic white spot lesions and permanent dentition · 6 months
Changes in the Color and Brightness of White Spots Associated with Orthodontic Treatment 6 Months after the… (2022)
Cohen's d 6.80 [5.70, 7.82]1 studyUngraded
Caries assessment at dentine threshold vs None
Caries prevalence · European adolescents aged 17 years · Exact age
Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
Prevalence 0.84 [0.79, 0.88]1 studyUngraded
Good brushing habits (>=2 daily tooth brushing) vs None (descriptive single-group pooled prevalence)
Good brushing habits prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Individual, Family, and Socioeconomic Contributors to Dental Caries in Children from Low- and Middle-Income… (2022)
Prevalence 0.5687 [0.3539, 0.7708]7 studiesUngraded
Caries experience measurement (mean D(M)FS, enamel lesions included) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses only)
Caries experience (mean DMFS) · European adolescents aged 12–19 years · Publication year: < 2010
Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
MEAN 5.48 [4.27, 8.47]4 studiesUngraded
Caries severity measurement (mean number of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth, DMFT; WHO criteria) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)
Caries severity (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children (permanent dentition) in Africa · Country: Uganda
Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review… (2022)
MEAN 0.81 [0.646, 0.979]3 studiesUngraded
Conventional glass-ionomer cement (GIC) restoration vs Amalgam or metal-reinforced GIC
Treatment failure (annual failure rate) · Children with previously unrestored, vital carious lesions in primary teeth (no pulp therapy); aged 1.5-11 years · 12-60 months (Welbury 5 years; Kilpatrick 1.5 years mean)
Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp… (2022)
Annual failure rate (%) 7.6-16.6%2 studiesUngraded
Class-I (single-surface) cavity restoration vs Class-II (proximal/multi-surface) cavity restoration
Treatment failure (annual failure rate) by cavity class · Children with carious primary teeth restored in Class-I versus Class-II cavities, no pulp therapy · 12-48 months, Cavity class (Class-I vs Class-II)
Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp… (2022)
Annual failure rate (%) Class II 5-28.9%; Class I 1.2-14.7% (ART)NRUngraded
Caries assessment at enamel threshold (D(M)FS>0 or D(M)FT>0, enamel lesions included) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses only)
Caries prevalence · European adolescents aged 12–19 years · Age group: 16–19 years
Dental caries at enamel and dentine level among European adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022)
Prevalence 0.90 [0.85, 0.94]7 studiesUngraded
Caries severity measurement (mean number of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth, DMFT; WHO criteria) vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)
Caries severity (mean DMFT) · 12-year-old children (permanent dentition) in Africa · Country: Zimbabwe
Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review… (2022)
MEAN 0.98 [0.829, 1.121]1 studyUngraded
Genetically predicted gene expression (TWAS; S-PrediXcan with GTEx v8 cis-eQTL across 49 tissues; cross-tissue S-MultiXcan) vs ECC-unaffected children (association of genetically predicted expression)
Early childhood caries (ECC) - association with genetically predicted expression of LACC1 (chr13q14.11) · Children up to age 5-6 years (European / European non-Hispanic ancestry); 843 ECC-affected vs 2124 unaffected across 5… · Cross-sectional (ECC ascertained at the last dental exam before age 6), LACC1 (chr13q14.11); 48 (4) tissues; suggestive (p < 1.0x10-4) ; flagged possible false positive
Association of Early Childhood Caries with Bitter Taste Receptors: A Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide… (2022)
Z-score (cross-tissue mean, S-MultiXcan) 0.105 studies · 2974 participantsUngraded