Cochrane Review Group
Oral Health
430 systematic reviews in Oral Health ask 10,375 questions. 13% have no studies to answer them, 11.8% rest on very low certainty evidence and 3.5% reach moderate or high certainty.
Reviews
430
Questions
10,375
current versions
No studies
13%
Moderate or high
3.5%
No studies 1,344 · 13%Ungraded 6,832 · 65.9%Very low 1,228 · 11.8%Low 613 · 5.9%Moderate 290 · 2.8%High 68 · 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.
Topics
Dental caries264 reviews
5,762 questionsNo studies 5.6% · High 0.7%
Oral and maxillofacial surgery43 reviews
866 questionsNo studies 21.7% · High 0.5%
Orthodontics43 reviews
830 questionsNo studies 22.4% · High 0.4%
Oral medicine and oral cancer34 reviews
1,325 questionsNo studies 12.4% · High 0.1%
Periodontology32 reviews
793 questionsNo studies 18.7% · High 1.5%
Endodontics and dental trauma25 reviews
664 questionsNo studies 16.7% · High 0.2%
Implants and prosthodontics23 reviews
581 questionsNo studies 15% · High 0%
Dental public health and special care13 reviews
288 questionsNo studies 25.3% · High 0%
Pain control and patient management11 reviews
342 questionsNo studies 46.2% · High 1.2%
Temporomandibular disorders and sleep11 reviews
271 questionsNo studies 25.8% · High 0%
Other oral health10 reviews
264 questionsNo studies 17% · High 3.4%
Esthetic dentistry6 reviews
141 questionsNo studies 11.3% · High 0%
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 430
Management of gag reflex for patients undergoing dental treatment
Cochranefull textintervention
38 questions
Antifibrinolytic therapy for preventing oral bleeding in patients with haemophilia or Von Willebrand disease undergoing minor oral surgery or dental extractions
Cochranefull textintervention
11 questions
Interventions for preventing osteoradionecrosis of the jaws in adults receiving head and neck radiotherapy
Cochranefull textintervention
8 questions
Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling periodontal diseases and dental caries
Cochranefull textintervention
60 questions
Interventions for managing halitosis
Cochranefull textintervention
102 questions
Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities
Cochranefull textintervention
31 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
Adhesives for fixed orthodontic brackets
Cochranefull textintervention
6 questions
Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth
Cochranefull textintervention
220 questions
Orthodontic treatment for prominent upper front teeth (Class II malocclusion) in children and adolescents
Cochranefull textintervention
49 questions
Sedation of children undergoing dental treatment
Cochranefull textintervention
19 questions