Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40634952›Full record

SynthesisBMC oral health2025

Dental caries prevalence, preventive behaviour and related factors among adolescents in Nigeria: a 10-year systematic review and meta-analysis.

Adebukunola O Afolabi, Adebola O Ehizele, Ukachi Chiwendu Nnawuihe, Francisca O Nwaokorie, Ucheoma Nwaozuru, Foluso Owotade, Joanne Lusher, George Uchenna Eleje, Omolola T Alade, Folahanmi T Akinsolu and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Adebukunola O AfolabiOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. bukieafolabi@yahoo.com.
Adebola O EhizeleOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Ukachi Chiwendu NnawuiheOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Francisca O NwaokorieOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Ucheoma NwaozuruOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Foluso OwotadeOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Joanne LusherOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
George Uchenna ElejeOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Omolola T AladeOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Folahanmi T AkinsoluOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Oliver C EzechiOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Moréniké Oluwátóyìn FoláyanOral Health Initiative, Centre for Population Studies, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe paucity of actionable data on the epidemiological profile of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria poses significant challenges to policy formulation and implementation. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria and identify dental caries preventive behaviours associated with dental caries experience among adolescents in Nigeria over 10 years.

methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on dental caries among adolescents was undertaken in September 2023. Literature searches were conducted across Academic Info, Cochrane Library, Refseek, and PubMed databases and Google Scholar, to identify studies on dental caries prevalence and dental caries preventive behaviour among adolescents in Nigeria that were published between January 2013 and December 2022. Eligible studies included cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies. Studies were also included if they presented data for at least one of the primary outcomes. Excluded were studies without information on the sample size, those with incomplete or overlapping samples, case reports, case series, editorials, or reviews without primary data. Heterogeneity was assessed using I

resultsSixteen studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria was 23.0% (95% CI: 16-30). The pooled prevalence for males was 16.0% (95% CI: 9-23) and that for females was 22.0% (95% CI: 11-32). The commonest dental caries preventive practices reported were daily tooth brushing, use of fluoride-containing toothpastes, and dental service utilization. Factors associated with dental caries included a history of dental service utilization, poor oral hygiene practices, and consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals.

conclusionThe high prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria warrants programmatic attention with an emphasis on improving oral hygiene practices and controlling the consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals. Dental service utilization for dental caries preventive needs to be encouraged.

Indexed as

Dental CariesHealth BehaviorAdolescentHumansMaleNigeriaPrevalenceAdolescentsDental cariesDental servicesFluoridesFluoride toothpastesHealth behavioursNigeriaOral hygienePrevalenceToothbrushing

Identifiers

PMID40634952
PMCPMC12243544

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.