Findings

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

132 questions · 256 findings · 25 reviews

No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 243 · 94.9%Very low 4 · 1.6%Low 8 · 3.1%Moderate 1 · 0.4%High 0 · 0%

Mutans streptococci present in oral samples at baseline vs Mutans streptococci absent in oral samples at baseline

Future caries experience (dmft/dmfs) · Children younger than 6 years with caries-free primary dentition (no cavitated or non-cavitated lesions at baseline)

Children with mutans streptococci at baseline had a greater future caries experience (SMD 0.85, a large effect; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Mutans streptococci detected in plaque or saliva at baseline vs No mutans streptococci detected in plaque or saliva at baseline

Development of any (cavitated or non-cavitated) carious lesion · Children younger than 6 years with caries-free primary dentition (no cavitated or non-cavitated lesions at baseline)

Across the sample-based sensitivity analysis, mutans streptococci at baseline were associated with higher odds of developing caries.

1 finding from 1 review

Male sex (boys) vs Female sex

Caries development in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Gender is not associated with caries development in permanent teeth (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.02; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Sociodemographic / socioeconomic factors (single-parent family, low parental education, family income, socioeconomic status) vs Absence of the factor / reference socioeconomic category

Caries increment in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Evidence on the association between sociodemographic/socioeconomic factors and permanent-teeth caries is weak and inconsistent (3 studies; could not be pooled; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Caries in first and second primary molars vs Reference (other primary tooth locations / caries-free)

Caries development in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Caries in the first and second primary molars is the strongest tooth-specific predictor of caries in permanent teeth (RR 3.4; single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Primary dentition DMFT score 1-3 vs No caries in primary teeth (DMFT = 0)

Caries prevalence in permanent dentition · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

A primary-dentition DMFT of 1-3 is associated with 1.5 times higher risk of caries in permanent teeth (single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Dentinal caries in primary dentition (at 5 years) vs Caries-free primary dentition

Dentinal caries in permanent (newly erupted) teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Dentinal caries in the primary dentition is associated with about 3.2 times higher odds of dentinal caries in permanent teeth (single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Primary dentition DMFT score over 13 vs No caries in primary teeth (DMFT = 0)

Caries prevalence in permanent dentition · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

A primary-dentition DMFT over 13 is associated with about 15 times higher risk of caries in permanent teeth (single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Caries in upper primary incisors vs Reference (other primary tooth locations / caries-free)

Caries development in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Caries in upper primary incisors has the lowest tooth-specific predictive value for permanent-teeth caries (RR 1.6; single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

High Streptococcus mutans colonization in primary dentition (age 2-3 years) vs Lower Streptococcus mutans load

Caries (DMFT/DMFS) in mixed/permanent dentition · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Higher early Streptococcus mutans colonization is associated with more caries in the mixed/permanent dentition (2 studies; not pooled; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Unfavourable oral hygiene and dietary habits (frequent sweet/sugar consumption; low toothbrushing frequency in early childhood) vs Favourable oral hygiene and dietary habits

Caries development in permanent teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Early-childhood oral hygiene and dietary habits show inconsistent associations with permanent-teeth caries, often losing significance after adjustment for past caries (2 studies; not pooled; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Enamel caries in primary dentition (at 5 years) vs Caries-free primary dentition

Dentinal caries in permanent (newly erupted) teeth · School children and adolescents (6-18 years) followed from primary dentition (baseline examination before 72 months of age)

Enamel caries in the primary dentition is associated with about 1.6 times higher odds of dentinal caries in permanent teeth (single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review