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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

1,954 questions · 2,335 findings · 149 reviews · Oral Health · All outcomes

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No studies found 436 · 18.7%GRADE not reported 1,370 · 58.7%Very low 254 · 10.9%Low 173 · 7.4%Moderate 80 · 3.4%High 22 · 0.9%

Older adults (population mean age >33.4 years) vs Younger adults (population mean age <=33.4 years)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Studies of older adults (mean age >33.4 years) had higher pooled DMFT than younger adults, but the age to DMFT meta-regression was not statistically significant; ungraded observational evidence.

5 findings from 1 review
Show 2 more findings

Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)

Success or failure of the anchorage device · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to adults up to 48-54 years)
1 finding from 1 review

Younger children's age (3-5 years) vs Older children (>5 years)

Poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) · Children aged 3-12 years

Children aged 3 years had higher odds of poor OHRQoL than older children (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.42-2.57; 2 studies; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Age 8-10 years vs Age >10 years

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents with maxillary permanent first molar extraction

In the maxilla, age 8-10 years was not associated with a statistically significant difference in space closure odds.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride varnish applied before 4 years of age vs No fluoride varnish application

Fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) · Children exposed to topical fluoride when under 6 years old; fluorosis assessed in permanent teeth at 6 to 18 years

Fluoride varnish applied before 4 years of age may leads to higher fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with no fluoride varnish application (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Fluoride varnish applied before 4 years of age vs Non-fluoride (placebo) varnish

Fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) · Children exposed to topical fluoride when under 6 years old; fluorosis assessed in permanent teeth at 6 to 18 years

Fluoride varnish applied before 4 years of age (biannual) showed no clear difference in fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with placebo varnish (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Extraction at patient age <8 years vs Extraction at patient age >10 years

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

In the mandible, extraction before age 8 (vs after 10) increases odds of space closure (OR 5.01; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Age 8-10 years vs Extraction at patient age >10 years

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

In the mandible, extraction at age 8-10 (vs after 10) increases odds of space closure (OR 3.32; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Extraction at patient age 11-12 years vs Extraction at patient age 8-10 years

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

In the mandible, extraction at 11-12 vs 8-10 years showed no significant difference in one analysis (OR 0.82; not GRADE-rated).

2 findings 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

Started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 4 years (earlier start) vs Started after 4 years (later start)

Fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) · Children exposed to topical fluoride when under 6 years old; fluorosis assessed in permanent teeth at 6 to 18 years

It is very uncertain whether started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 4 years… changes fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with started after 4 years (later start) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Older adults (population mean age >33.4 years) vs Not applicable

Dental caries · Adult participants in 25 meta-regression studies

The unadjusted meta-regression coefficient for older mean age was 4.324884.

2 findings from 1 review

Dietary counselling tailored to a Stage of Change (Transtheoretical Model) to increase fruit and vegetable intake (two counselling sessions) vs usual care

Vegetable consumption behaviour: proportion in the Action Stage of Change (versus Pre-Action) · Edentulous patients aged 45 to 80 years attending dental-student teaching clinics for replacement dentures, Newcastle Dental Hospital, UK
1 finding from 1 review

Dietary counselling tailored to a Stage of Change (Transtheoretical Model) to increase fruit and vegetable intake (two counselling sessions) vs usual care

Fruit consumption behaviour: proportion in the Action Stage of Change (versus Pre-Action) · Edentulous patients aged 45 to 80 years attending dental-student teaching clinics for replacement dentures, Newcastle Dental Hospital, UK
1 finding from 1 review

Older age vs Younger adults (population mean age <=33.4 years)

Oral health-related quality of life · Adolescents (10-19 years)

The abstract reports older age is associated with worse OHRQoL, but the body notes the evidence on age is limited and conflicting (narrative synthesis; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating).

2 findings from 1 review

Late tooth brushing initiation (>=12 months, or >=2 years in some studies) vs Early tooth brushing initiation (<12 months, or <2 years)

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Healthy children under 6 years of age (6 months to 6 years); preschool children

In the primary pooled analysis, late tooth brushing initiation was associated with a non-significant 40% higher odds of early childhood caries (OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.91 to 2.16), with very high heterogeneity (I2=90.5%); ungraded.

2 findings from 1 review

Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)

Acceptability · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to adults up to 48-54 years)
1 finding from 1 review