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
Aesthetics · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
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
Adverse effects · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
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
Dental pain or sensitivity · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Aesthetics · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions)
1 finding from 1 review
1 study reported that 45% of parents were satisfied with appearance of their child's teeth; data not reported by study group. 1 study reported that 1 of 34 caregivers in SDF group were "annoyed with teeth appearance",…
2 studies · 248 participants
Very low
Adverse effects · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions)
1 finding from 1 review
1 study (203 children) reported that black or brown staining on treated lesions was commonly found in both groups, with little or no difference according to whether SDF treatment was given in 3 applications at…
3 studies · 1121 participants
Very low
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