Effects of non-stevia high-intensity sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, saccharin) on cariogenic bacteria in dental plaque or saliva · healthy people
No eligible studies evaluated high-intensity sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin for their effect on cariogenic bacteria.
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects (loose stools, diarrhoea) · Infants (primary teeth; baseline about 9 to 15 months)
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects were not reported in a usable format, but the reported rates of loose stools and diarrhoea were very similar between groups. There were no serious adverse effects during the study. Milgrom 2009.
1 study · 94 participants
GRADE not reported
Change in Mutans streptococci (MS) and Lactobacilli in saliva · Schoolchildren (6-9 years), high caries risk
The single stevia trial (Cocco 2019) reported a significant reduction in salivary Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, but gave no effect size and was not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
Clinical Effects of Sugar Substitutes on Cariogenic Bacteria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes42 days · Schoolchildren in Italy, high caries risk; sweetener delivered as a daily snack · Single study (Cocco 2019); not pooled
Cocco 2019 (the only high-intensity sweetener trial): the stevia snack showed a significant decrease in MS (P < .01) and in lactobacilli (P = .03) versus baseline, whereas the white-sugar snack showed no significant…
1 study · 271 participants
GRADE not reported
Adverse effects · Adults with head and neck cancer undergoing curative or adjuvant radiotherapy (at risk of osteoradionecrosis of the jaws)
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects were an outcome of interest in the study conducting this comparison, however no mention was made of the presence or absence of any adverse events
1 study · 220 participants
Very low
Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years
Pooled caries experience (DMFT) was similar in very-high-HDI and high-HDI countries, and meta-regression found no significant association between national HDI and DMFT; ungraded observational evidence with very high heterogeneity.
3 findings from 1 review
Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years
Populations with a higher proportion of people with low socioeconomic status had higher caries experience (pooled DMFT 15.99 vs 5.50), and meta-regression associated low SES with higher DMFT (about 10.35 more DMFT per unit; p=0.050); ungraded observational evidence.
2 findings from 1 review
Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years
Population level of schooling was not significantly associated with caries experience (DMFT) in subgroup meta-analysis or meta-regression; ungraded observational evidence with very high heterogeneity.
2 findings from 1 review
Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years
The proportion of university-educated people was not associated with caries experience (DMFT); pooled DMFT was similar across subgroups and the meta-regression was non-significant; ungraded observational evidence.
2 findings from 1 review
Adverse effects · Patients being treated for cancer (acute leukaemia; chemotherapy or stem-cell transplantation)
1 finding from 1 review
One study reported adverse effects (Warkentin 2002). Twenty patients allocated to receive high dose valaciclovir reported adverse effects (42%); for the low dose group this number was 27 (52%). Adverse effects were…
1 study · 100 participants
GRADE not reported
Development of >=1 new carious lesion (caries incidence) · Children (high caries risk) with permanent molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
Caries incidence was 10% with laser-plus-acid versus 22% with acid-etching at 18 months, a non-significant difference (ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
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
GRADE not reported