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
Remineralization and anti-demineralization effect of orthodontic adhesives on enamel surrounding orthodontic brackets: a systematic review of in vitro studies.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention25 included studies
12 questions
The role of silver diamine fluoride as dental caries preventive and arresting agent: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention20 included studies
16 questions
RETRACTED: Investigating the association between Candida albicans and early childhood dental caries: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology24 included studies
16 questions
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between sugar intake and dental caries in Nigeria.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology15 included studies
3 questions
Disabilities and Disparities in Oral Health-Related Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Saudi Arabia.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology10 included studies
4 questions
A systematic review of Streptococcus Mutans and Veillonellae species interactions in dental caries progression: Positive or Negative impact?
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology7 included studies
16 questions
Antimicrobial effect of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in arresting dentine caries of permanent teeth: A Systematic review.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention9 included studies
0 questions
Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment
Cochranefull textintervention
45 questions
Associations of the activity and concentration of carbonic anhydrase VI with susceptibility to dental caries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology10 included studies
4 questions
A systematic review on the effect of silver diamine fluoride for management of dental caries in permanent teeth.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention13 included studies
37 questions
Malocclusions and quality of life among adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology14 included studies
2 questions
Incidence and influential factors in pulp necrosis and periapical pathosis following indirect restorations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textprognostic68 included studies
57 questions
The efficacy of mouthwashes on oral microorganisms and gingivitis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention47 included studies
23 questions
Prevention of white spot lesions with fluoride varnish during orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances: a systematic review.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention12 included studies
2 questions
Comparison of therapies of white spot lesions: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention81 included studies
22 questions
Clinical efficacy of bioactive restorative materials in controlling secondary caries: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention63 included studies
18 questions
The effect of gum chewing on xerostomia and salivary flow rate in elderly and medically compromised subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention26 included studies
6 questions
Shear bond strength of metallic brackets bonded to enamel pretreated with CPP-ACP: a systematic review and meta-analysis of in vitro studies.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention15 included studies
3 questions
Strategies to integrate oral health into primary care: a systematic review.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention75 included studies
8 questions
Oral-health-related quality of life in adolescents: umbrella review.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology22 included studies
42 questions
White spot lesions, plaque accumulation and salivary caries-associated bacteria in clear aligners compared to fixed orthodontic treatment. A systematic review and meta- analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention14 included studies
9 questions
Impact of oral conditions on oral health-related quality of life among Indians- a systematic review and Meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology41 included studies
32 questions
Is Mutans Streptococci count a risk predictor of Early Childhood Caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textprognostic23 included studies
12 questions
Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious teeth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention21 included studies
19 questions
The effectiveness and safety of botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of sialorrhea with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention8 included studies
6 questions