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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. Words match anywhere in the field.
5,762 questions in 263 reviews · Dental caries
current versionsNo 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.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
1700 to 2200 ppm F toothpaste vs 1450 to 1500 ppm F toothpaste Caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start) · Closest to 36 months Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | SMD 0.05 [-0.19, 0.3] | NR | Low |
No intervention (single-arm cohort estimates) vs No comparator First dentine caries incidence rate per person-year at risk (D3) · Caries-free children and adolescents with permanent dentition · Follow-up of at least 3 years Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review. (2019) | Incidence rate per person-year at risk 0.21 [0.18, 0.25] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF; 30% or 38%) vs 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish Arrested dentine caries (arrested caries surfaces) · Preschool children with active dentine caries in primary teeth (mean age 3.4-4.0 years) · 30 months Silver diamine fluoride versus sodium fluoride for arresting dentine caries in children: a systematic review… (2019) | OR 2.03 [1.51, 2.77] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
1000 or 1100 ppm F toothpaste vs Non-fluoride (0 ppm F) placebo toothpaste Adverse effects of toothpaste · Adults with mature permanent dentition (aged 18 to 93 years at study start) Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | Adverse effects of toothpaste: no studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
5% NaF varnish vs Sealant + 5% NaF varnish Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth) · 8-12 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 0.59 [0.45, 0.76] | 7 studies · 1575 participants | Moderate |
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) pulpotomy dressing vs Triple antibiotic paste (TAP) Clinical and radiographic success · Immature (young) permanent teeth with open apex and vital pulp exposed to dental caries or trauma, in children aged… · 1 to 24 months Materials for pulpotomy in immature permanent teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2019) | Single RCT (Eppa 2018, 3-arm; 20 MTA and 20 TAP teeth): 100% clinical and radiographic success in both MTA and TAP at all follow-ups (1-24 months); no difference between groups; not pooled | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Rubber/elastomeric cleaning stick plus toothbrushing vs Toothbrushing alone Plaque · Adults, 16 years and older (dentate) · 1 month Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling… (2019) · Cochrane | MD -0.22 [-0.41, -0.03] | 1 study · 30 participants | Very low |
1450 to 1500 ppm F toothpaste vs 250 ppm F toothpaste Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start) · Closest to 36 months Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | SMD -0.21 [-0.33, -0.1] | NR | Low |
Rubber/elastomeric cleaning stick plus toothbrushing vs Interdental brushing plus toothbrushing Interproximal caries · Adults, 16 years and older (dentate) Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling… (2019) · Cochrane | No included study assessed caries as an outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish vs No treatment Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces… · 3-12 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.67 [0.44, 6.31] | 7 studies · 1304 participants | Very low |
Resin infiltration + 5% NaF varnish vs No treatment Arrest or reversal of noncavitated approximal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on approximal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth) · 12-36 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 4.59 [1.01, 20.88] | 6 studies · 565 participants | Very low |
Longer follow-up vs Shorter follow-up Annual increment in DMFT (D3) · Children and adolescents with permanent dentition · Per additional year of follow-up, Adjusted for groups 1-4 including relevance of evidence and risk of bias Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review. (2019) | Meta-regression beta per year of follow-up -0.04 [-0.34, 0.26] | 13 studies · 24753 participants | Ungraded |
Residence in heavily contaminated area (approx. 15-40 Ci/km2) vs Residence in non-contaminated (non-exposed) area (<1 Ci/km2) Dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft index) · Children aged 12-15 years (adolescents) · heavy contamination A systematic review of the caries prevalence among children living in Chernobyl fallout countries. (2019) | WMD -0.04 [-0.31, 0.23] | 1 study · 73 participants | Ungraded |
Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Finland · Country: Finland Clinical Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Oral-Health Promotion in Dental Caries Prevention among… (2019) | OR 0.48 [0.41, 0.56] | 1 study | Ungraded |
38% silver diamine fluoride vs Fluoride varnish or atraumatic restorative treatment Coronal carious lesions arrest · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition) · Primary dentition Silver diamine fluoride for managing carious lesions: an umbrella review. (2019) | RR 1.66 | 2 studies | Ungraded |
30% SDF solution (applied annually) vs 30% SDF solution (once weekly for 3 weeks) Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth) · 30 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.45 [1.21, 1.73] | 1 study · 309 participants | High |
Sealant + 5% NaF varnish vs Sealant Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth) · 8-12 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.69 [1.26, 2.27] | 7 studies · 1575 participants | Moderate |
Er:YAG laser preparation combined with acid-etching vs Acid-etching (phosphoric acid) alone Incidence of dental caries · Children (high caries risk) with permanent molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants · 18 months The clinical effects of laser preparation of tooth surfaces for fissure sealants placement: a systematic… (2019) | Durmus 2017 (Er:YAG laser+acid vs acid-etching): caries incidence 10% (n=8) in the laser-plus-acid group vs 22% (n=18) in the acid-etching group at 18 months; difference not statistically significant (P > 0.05). | 1 study · 51 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Dental caries prevalence · Children (<12 years) and adolescents (12-18 years) with type 1 diabetes · Continent: North America Prevalence of dental caries in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and… (2019) | Prevalence 0.64 [0.52, 0.74] | 1 study · 69 participants | Ungraded |
Resin infiltration vs Resin infiltration + 5% NaF varnish Arrest or reversal of noncavitated approximal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on approximal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth) · 12-36 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 0.46 [0.09, 2.23] | 6 studies · 565 participants | Very low |
Chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthrinse vs Pre-treatment (baseline, same group) Mean plaque score (pre- vs post-treatment) · Medically healthy individuals (adults and children, 6-60 years) · Pre- vs post-treatment, Chlorhexidine concentration: 0.2% The antiplaque/anticariogenic efficacy of Salvadora persica (Miswak) mouthrinse in comparison to that of… (2019) | MD 0.45 [0.19, 0.70] | 10 studies · 282 participants | Ungraded |
1.23% APF gel + oral health education vs Oral health education Arrest or reversal of noncavitated facial/lingual carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on facial/lingual surfaces (primary and permanent teeth) · 12 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 2.47 [1.95, 3.13] | 1 study · 257 participants | Moderate |
Longer follow-up vs Shorter follow-up Annual increment in DMFS (D3) · Children and adolescents with permanent dentition · Per additional year of follow-up, Adjusted for groups 1-3 including decade and preventive intervention Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review. (2019) | Meta-regression beta per year of follow-up 0.36 [-0.02, 0.73] | 22 studies · 11300 participants | Ungraded |
1000 to 1250 ppm F toothpaste vs 440 to 550 ppm F toothpaste Caries increment, surface index D(M)FS · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start) · Closest to 36 months Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | SMD -0.16 [-0.35, 0.03] | 1 study | Low |
1450 to 1500 ppm F toothpaste vs 1000 to 1250 ppm F toothpaste Proportion developing new caries · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start) · Follow-up: 36 months Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | RR 1.02 [0.93, 1.11] | 2 studies · 4328 participants | Low |
38% silver diamine fluoride vs Placebo Root carious lesions arrest · Older adults with root carious lesions (exposed root surfaces) Silver diamine fluoride for managing carious lesions: an umbrella review. (2019) | One low risk of bias systematic review reported that 38% SDF was significantly more effective than placebo in arresting root carious lesions (pooled results were not calculated) [31]. | NR | Ungraded |
Patient-used 250 ppm F mouthrinse (100 ppm amine F/150 ppm NaF), daily vs 0 ppm F placebo mouthrinse, daily Number of participants with new demineralised lesions (DLs) · Orthodontic patients of any age with fixed braces (new DLs assessed at debond) · At debond; follow-up 24.5 months (assessed with QLF) Fluorides for preventing early tooth decay (demineralised lesions) during fixed brace treatment (2019) · Cochrane | RR 0.65 [0.37, 1.17] | 1 study · 81 participants | Very low |
38% SDF solution (applied biannually) vs 38% SDF solution (applied annually) Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth) · 18 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.15 [1.09, 1.23] | 1 study · 799 participants | Moderate |
30% SDF solution (once weekly for 3 weeks) vs 5% NaF varnish (once weekly for 3 weeks) Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth) · 18 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.3 [1.07, 1.57] | 1 study · 309 participants | High |
Intervention NR Marginal restoration discoloration (adverse event) · MTA vs CH (Ozgur 2017) Materials for pulpotomy in immature permanent teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2019) | no estimate extracted | 1 study | Ungraded |
38% SDF solution (applied biannually) vs 38% SDF solution (applied annually) Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth) · 24 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.2 [1.13, 1.27] | 1 study · 799 participants | High |
38% silver diamine fluoride vs Placebo Root carious lesions prevention · Older adults with root carious lesions (exposed root surfaces) Silver diamine fluoride for managing carious lesions: an umbrella review. (2019) | Prevented Fraction 25–71 | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Residence in weakly contaminated area (approx. 1-5 Ci/km2) vs Residence in non-contaminated (non-exposed) area (<1 Ci/km2) Dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft index) · Children aged 12-15 years (adolescents) · weak contamination A systematic review of the caries prevalence among children living in Chernobyl fallout countries. (2019) | WMD -0.18 [-0.35, -0.01] | 1 study · 135 participants | Ungraded |
Residence in heavily contaminated area (approx. 15-40 Ci/km2) vs Residence in non-contaminated (non-exposed) area (<1 Ci/km2) Dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft index) · Children aged 5-7 years (early school-age) · heavy contamination A systematic review of the caries prevalence among children living in Chernobyl fallout countries. (2019) | WMD 1.75 [1.73, 1.77] | 1 study · 1474 participants | Ungraded |
Pulpotomy vs Pulpectomy Pain · Children with carious vital pulp exposure in primary incisors · Longest follow-up Pulpotomy versus pulpectomy in the treatment of vital pulp exposure in primary incisors. A systematic review… (2019) | RR 2.06 [0.31, 13.8] | NR | Ungraded |
Wooden cleaning stick plus toothbrushing vs Toothbrushing alone Harms and adverse effects · Adults, 16 years and older (dentate) Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling… (2019) · Cochrane | Harms and adverse outcomes: Not reported (neither study reported on adverse effects). | 0 studies | No studies |
0.2% NaF mouthrinse + supervised toothbrushing vs Resin infiltration + 5% NaF varnish Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth) · 8-12 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 0.61 [0.43, 0.85] | 7 studies · 1575 participants | Moderate |
Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years (studies published before 2015) · Published before 2015 Clinical Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Oral-Health Promotion in Dental Caries Prevention among… (2019) | OR 0.01 [0.00, 0.13] | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B-DB/LB/Y (colour) vs S/M-H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | WMD -0.067 [-1.877, 1.743] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Laser enamel preparation alone (Er,Cr:YSGG or CO2 laser) vs Acid-etching (phosphoric acid) Sealant retention rate (completely retained) · Caries-free children to young adults with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants · 9 months The clinical effects of laser preparation of tooth surfaces for fissure sealants placement: a systematic… (2019) | OR 1.15 [0.63, 2.10] | 1 study · 43 participants | Ungraded |
38% silver diamine fluoride vs Fluoride varnish, glass ionomer cement, or placebo Coronal carious lesions arrest (arrest rate) · Children with coronal carious lesions (primary dentition) · Primary dentition Silver diamine fluoride for managing carious lesions: an umbrella review. (2019) | Arrest rate 65–91 | 6 studies | Ungraded |
1000 or 1100 ppm F toothpaste vs Non-fluoride (0 ppm F) placebo toothpaste Caries increment, surface index DMFS · Adults with mature permanent dentition (aged 18 to 93 years at study start) · 12 to 24 months Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | MD -0.53 [-1.02, -0.04] | 3 studies · 2162 participants | Moderate |
30% SDF solution (applied annually) vs 5% NaF varnish (once weekly for 3 weeks) Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth) · 12 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.48 [1.11, 1.97] | 1 study · 309 participants | High |
1450 to 1500 ppm F toothpaste vs Non-fluoride (0 ppm F) placebo toothpaste Proportion developing new caries · Children and adolescents with immature permanent dentition (aged 5 to 16 years at study start) · Follow-up: 36 months Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries (2019) · Cochrane | RR 0.95 [0.91, 0.98] | 1 study · 945 participants | Low |
Salvadora persica (miswak) mouthrinse vs Chlorhexidine 0.12% mouthrinse Post-intervention mean plaque score · Medically healthy individuals (adults and children, 6-60 years) · Post-intervention, Chlorhexidine concentration: 0.12% The antiplaque/anticariogenic efficacy of Salvadora persica (Miswak) mouthrinse in comparison to that of… (2019) | MD 0.52 [0.35, 0.69] | 5 studies · 396 participants | Ungraded |
38% SDF solution (applied biannually) vs 12% SDF solution (applied biannually) Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth) · 18 mo Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2019) | RR 1.34 [1.25, 1.43] | 1 study · 799 participants | High |
Pulpotomy vs Pulpectomy Pulp canal obliteration · Children with carious vital pulp exposure in primary incisors · 23-24 months Pulpotomy versus pulpectomy in the treatment of vital pulp exposure in primary incisors. A systematic review… (2019) | Pulp canal obliteration seen in 18 teeth (60%) in the pulpotomy group at 23 months (Howley et al.); none at 2 years (Aminabadi et al.); 3 teeth (25%) in the pulpotomy group at 2 years (Casas et al.). Not pooled. | 3 studies | Ungraded |
No intervention (single-arm cohort estimates) vs No comparator First dentine caries incidence rate per person-year at risk (D3) · Caries-free children and adolescents with permanent dentition · Follow-up of at least 3 years Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review. (2019) | Incidence rate per person-year at risk 0.12 [0.11, 0.13] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Residence in weakly contaminated area (approx. 1-5 Ci/km2) vs Residence in non-contaminated (non-exposed) area (<1 Ci/km2) Dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft index) · Children aged 5-7 years (early school-age) · weak contamination A systematic review of the caries prevalence among children living in Chernobyl fallout countries. (2019) | WMD 0.22 [0.10, 0.34] | 1 study · 117 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Clinical and radiographic success · MTA vs CH, 18 and 24 months (Ozgur 2017) Materials for pulpotomy in immature permanent teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2019) | no estimate extracted | 1 study | Ungraded |