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
The association between genetic variants in lactotransferrin and dental caries: a meta- and gene-based analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology6 included studies
17 questions
Relationship between preterm, low birth weight and early childhood caries: a meta-analysis of the case-control and cross-sectional study.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology28 included studies
5 questions
Laryngopharyngeal reflux, gastroesophageal reflux and dental disorders: A systematic review.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology24 included studies
10 questions
Does Er,Cr:YSGG reduce the microleakage of restorations when used for cavity preparation? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention23 included studies
10 questions
Dental caries in primary and permanent teeth in children's worldwide, 1995 to 2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textprevalence302 included studies
12 questions
The Association of Oral Health Status, demographic characteristics and socioeconomic determinants with Oral health-related quality of life among children: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology21 included studies
10 questions
Fluorides for preventing early tooth decay (demineralised lesions) during fixed brace treatment
Cochranefull textintervention
26 questions
Fluoride toothpastes of different concentrations for preventing dental caries
Cochranefull textintervention
65 questions
Dental cavity liners for Class I and Class II resin‐based composite restorations
Cochranefull textintervention
12 questions
Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling periodontal diseases and dental caries
Cochranefull textintervention
60 questions
Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention54 included studies
84 questions
Silver diamine fluoride versus sodium fluoride for arresting dentine caries in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention6 included studies
2 questions
A systematic review of the caries prevalence among children living in Chernobyl fallout countries.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology9 included studies
30 questions
Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textDTA8 included studies
8 questions
The antiplaque/anticariogenic efficacy of Salvadora persica (Miswak) mouthrinse in comparison to that of chlorhexidine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention23 included studies
20 questions
Caries Progression Rates Revisited: A Systematic Review.
Non-Cochranefull textprognostic43 included studies
47 questions
Silver diamine fluoride for managing carious lesions: an umbrella review.
Non-Cochranefull textumbrella15 included studies
17 questions
Dental caries experience, care index and restorative index in children with learning disabilities and children without learning disabilities; a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology44 included studies
13 questions
Effect of Photodynamic Therapy on Microorganisms Responsible for Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention65 included studies
2 questions
Clinical Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Oral-Health Promotion in Dental Caries Prevention among Children: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention29 included studies
12 questions
The clinical effects of laser preparation of tooth surfaces for fissure sealants placement: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention5 included studies
19 questions
Prevalence of dental caries in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textprevalence11 included studies
12 questions
Materials for pulpotomy in immature permanent teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention5 included studies
11 questions
Oral health in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis - a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology20 included studies
13 questions
Evaluation of the efficacy of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate on remineralization of white spot lesions in vitro and clinical research: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention12 included studies
6 questions