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
Interventions for increasing acceptance of local anaesthetic in children and adolescents having dental treatment
Cochranefull textintervention
73 questions
Adjunctive systemic antimicrobials for the non‐surgical treatment of periodontitis
Cochranefull textintervention
174 questions
Use of antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays by healthcare workers to protect them when treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 infection
Cochranefull textintervention
5 questions
Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays administered to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 infection to improve patient outcomes and to protect healthcare workers treating them
Cochranefull textintervention
7 questions
Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays to protect healthcare workers when undertaking aerosol‐generating procedures (AGPs) on patients without suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 infection
Cochranefull textintervention
6 questions
Interventions to reduce contaminated aerosols produced during dental procedures for preventing infectious diseases
Cochranefull textintervention
39 questions
Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries
Cochranefull textDTA
10 questions
Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries
Cochranefull textDTA
28 questions
Vegetarian diet and its possible influence on dental health: A systematic literature review.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology19 included studies
9 questions
Dental caries and periodontal disease among people who use drugs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology10 included studies
2 questions
Is Bleaching Effective in Managing Post-orthodontic White-spot Lesions? A Systematic Review.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention15 included studies
9 questions
Comparison between Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish on Caries Prevention for First Permanent Molars: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention7 included studies
8 questions
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textintervention17 included studies
105 questions
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis.
Non-Cochranefull textaetiology16 included studies
252 questions
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
Antibiotic use for irreversible pulpitis
Cochranefull textintervention
5 questions
Interventions for treating traumatised permanent front teeth: avulsed (knocked out) and replanted
Cochranefull textintervention
18 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