Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) · Children or adolescents
MCV tends to be lower in children with dental caries, but the pooled difference is not statistically significant (MD -1.96 fL, 95% CI -4.02 to 0.10; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Serum ferritin (ng/mL) · Children or adolescents
Serum ferritin tends to be lower in children with dental caries, but the pooled difference is not statistically significant (MD -3.96, 95% CI -8.48 to 0.57; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Haemoglobin (g/dL) · Children or adolescents
Haemoglobin tends to be lower in children with dental caries, but the pooled difference is not statistically significant (MD -2.20 g/dL, 95% CI -4.59 to 0.19; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Caregiver help with tooth brushing was associated with 65% lower odds of dental caries (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.93; 3 studies; very high heterogeneity; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Caregiver help with tooth brushing prevalence (among children with caries) · Children with dental caries (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 54% of children with caries in LMICs received caregiver help with tooth brushing (pooled prevalence 0.541, 95% CI 0.266 to 0.803; 3 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children with dental caries
Oral-health promotion programs were associated with markedly lower odds of DMFT/S in children (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.39; ungraded, very high heterogeneity I2=98.5%).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 0.19 [0.10, 0.39]
8 studies
GRADE not reported
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 6 years and older (healthy except for dental caries)
In children aged 6 years and older, OHPPs showed no significant effect on DMFT/S (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.01; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children younger than 6 years (healthy except for dental caries)
In children younger than 6 years, OHPPs were associated with lower odds of DMFT/S (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.39; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with no formal maternal education) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
No formal maternal education showed a non-significant trend toward higher odds of dental caries (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.36; 3 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
High SES showed no significant association with dental caries (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.31; 5 studies; not GRADE-rated).
2 findings from 1 review
Dental caries · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Good brushing habits (>=2 daily) were associated with 35% lower odds of dental caries (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.92; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with secondary/higher maternal education) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Secondary/higher maternal education showed no significant association with dental caries (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.44; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with primary maternal education) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Primary maternal education was associated with 25% higher odds of dental caries (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.54; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with middle SES) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Middle SES showed no significant association with dental caries (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.10; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries (association with sugary drinks/sweets consumption) · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
Sugary drinks/sweets consumption was associated with about twice the odds of dental caries in LMIC children (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.60; 7 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Dental caries · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
HIV-infected children on ART had higher odds of dental caries than HEU children in a cohort study (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.71 to 4.84; ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesProspective follow-up · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Cohort studies
OR 2.88 [1.71, 4.84]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesNot specified (cross-sectional) · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Cross-sectional studies
OR 3.73 [1.88, 7.40]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Dental caries · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH)
HIV-infected children on ART had higher odds of dental caries than HUU children in case-control studies (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.56; ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesNot specified (case-control) · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Case-control studies
OR 1.61 [1.02, 2.56]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomesNot specified (cross-sectional) · Dental examination of children/adolescents with HIV in clinic and community settings; low- and middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Uganda, West Africa) · Cross-sectional studies
OR 1.80 [0.98, 3.28]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Intra-examiner reliability · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition undergoing dental caries assessment
Intra-examiner reliability ranged from kappa 0.52 to 1.00 across 6 studies; certainty not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Overall diagnostic accuracy (agreement) · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition undergoing dental caries assessment
Where reported (about 5 studies, Table 2), overall diagnostic accuracy was high (about 93% to 97.6%); no pooled estimate and certainty not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Specificity · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition undergoing dental caries assessment
Across 13 studies, the specificity of teledentistry caries diagnosis ranged from 83% to 100%; no pooled estimate and certainty not graded.
1 finding from 1 review