Topic in Oral Health
Dental caries
Prevention, detection, risk, and management of dental caries (decay), including fluorides, sealants, and restorations.
264 systematic reviews in Dental caries ask 5,762 questions. 5.6% have no studies to answer them, 7.9% rest on very low certainty evidence and 4.2% reach moderate or high certainty.
Reviews
264
Questions
5,762
current versions
No studies
5.6%
Moderate or high
4.2%
No 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.
Thinnest evidence
All no studies and very low questions| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Partial pulpotomy vs Full (complete) pulpotomy Patient- and clinical-reported outcomes (tooth survival, clinical/radiographic success, pain) · Asymptomatic permanent teeth with deep caries (no symptoms) The effectiveness of partial pulpotomy compared with full pulpotomy in managing deep caries in vital… (2025) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Calcium vs Control Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin · 24 h, Etch-and-Rinse; chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -0.508 [-8.207, 7.191] | 3 studies | Very low |
Children with dental caries vs Children without dental caries (caries-free) Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) · Children and adolescents (0-18 years; most included reviews focused on <6 years) Association Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Dental Caries in Children: A Systematic Umbrella Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -1.96 [-4.02, 0.10] | 3 studies | Very low |
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries (presence/absence) · Children and adolescents under 18 years with HIV · Not specified (cross-sectional), Cross-sectional studies Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) | OR 2.04 [1.21, 3.42] | 6 studies · 2206 participants | Very low |
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries severity (dmft index, primary dentition) · Children and adolescents under 18 years with HIV · Not specified (cross-sectional), Cross-sectional studies; dmft index Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) | MD 0.92 [-0.09, 1.93] | 5 studies · 1502 participants | Very low |
Cavity liner (calcium hydroxide, glass-ionomer cement, resin-modified calcium silicate/TheraCal LC, hydraulic calcium silicate/MTA or Biodentine, flowable composite, or other liner material) vs No cavity liner or a different liner material Treatment failure · Patients with deep caries lesions in mature or immature permanent (posterior) teeth, with no symptoms or reversible… · >=12 months Efficacy of different cavity liners compared to no cavity lining in managing deep caries in vital permanent… (2025) | No significant difference; 96.5% of treated teeth remained vital | 12 studies · 1184 participants | Very low |
Cavity liner (calcium hydroxide, glass-ionomer cement, resin-modified calcium silicate/TheraCal LC, hydraulic calcium silicate/MTA or Biodentine, flowable composite, or other liner material) vs No cavity liner or a different liner material Postoperative hypersensitivity · Patients with deep caries lesions in mature or immature permanent (posterior) teeth, with no symptoms or reversible… · 7 days to 3 months Efficacy of different cavity liners compared to no cavity lining in managing deep caries in vital permanent… (2025) | No significant difference; minimal pain reported | 9 studies · 1000 participants | Very low |
Secondary (passive/secondhand) smoking exposure during childhood vs No secondary smoking exposure Caries prevalence (early childhood caries) · Preschool children aged <=71 months (caries outcome assessed at 3-6 years) · Caries prevalence at 3-6 years, Overall Secondary Smoking and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2025) | OR 1.77 [1.57, 2.01] | 11 studies · 14,794 participants | Very low |
Cavity liner (calcium hydroxide, glass-ionomer cement, resin-modified calcium silicate/TheraCal LC, hydraulic calcium silicate/MTA or Biodentine, flowable composite, or other liner material) vs No cavity liner or a different liner material Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) · Patients with deep caries lesions in mature or immature permanent (posterior) teeth, with no symptoms or reversible… · >=6 months Efficacy of different cavity liners compared to no cavity lining in managing deep caries in vital permanent… (2025) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) vs reference standard detection of proximal caries · primary teeth with proximal caries · primary dentition Diagnostic accuracy of quantitative light-induced fluorescence in detecting caries of various types and… (2025) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs HIV-negative individuals Dental caries severity (DMFT index, permanent dentition) · Children and adolescents under 18 years with HIV · Not specified (cross-sectional), Cross-sectional studies; DMFT index Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a… (2025) | MD 0.60 [-0.53, 1.72] | 4 studies · 1390 participants | Very low |
Intervention NR Tooth survival · - The effectiveness of partial pulpotomy compared with full pulpotomy in managing deep caries in vital… (2025) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Reviews 264
Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology53 included studies
23 questions
The effectiveness of partial pulpotomy compared with full pulpotomy in managing deep caries in vital permanent teeth with a diagnosis of non-traumatic pulpitis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention2 included studies
9 questions
Secondary Smoking and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology16 included studies
3 questions
Clinical Decision-Making of Repair vs. Replacement of Defective Direct Dental Restorations: A Multinational Cross-Sectional Study With Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textother
176 questions
Microinvasive interventions in the management of proximal caries lesions in primary and permanent teeth- systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention17 included studies
12 questions
The influence of anorexia nervosa on oral health and related parameters potentially relevant to orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology19 included studies
9 questions
Oral health in patients with cleft lip and palate: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of periodontal and dental disease and oral microbiota (part 1).
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology30 included studies
8 questions
Streptococcus mutans and Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology20 included studies
4 questions
Risk prediction models for dental caries in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textprognostic16 included studies
7 questions
From teeth to bone: dental caries has causal effects on osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology3 included studies
83 questions
Postbiotics and Dental Caries: A Systematic Review.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention21 included studies
18 questions
Accuracy of artificial intelligence in caries detection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textDTA35 included studies
6 questions
Risk of Early Childhood Dental Caries Associated With Prolonged Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology41 included studies
6 questions
The effects of electronic smoking on dental caries and proinflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology41 included studies
24 questions
Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention23 included studies
62 questions
Impact of dental caries on the quality of life of adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology22 included studies
6 questions
Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology17 included studies
19 questions
The contribution of oral infectious diseases in lacunar stroke based on meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization study.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology10 included studies
11 questions
Effectiveness of calcium hydroxide compared to hydraulic calcium silicate cements for direct pulp capping in managing deep caries in vital permanent teeth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention9 included studies
6 questions
An Umbrella Review of E-Cigarettes' Impact on Oral Microbiota and Biofilm Buildup.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology10 included studies
10 questions
Failure Risk of Composite Resin and Amalgam Restorations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention21 included studies
1 questions
Association between oral health-related quality of life and structural determinants of health among elderly populations. a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology6 included studies
24 questions
Multimorbidity patterns of dental caries and obesity/overweight among adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology24 included studies
9 questions
Fluoride mouthrinses for prevention of initial caries in orthodontic patients - a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention9 included studies
4 questions
Health promotion theory-based educational interventions for improving oral health in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention36 included studies
8 questions