ReviewJournal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry
Prevalence and Severity of Dental Caries Among Schoolchildren in Libya: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Analysis of Reasons for Permanent Teeth Extraction in Dental College Teaching Hospital of Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad/Iraq: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Observational Study.International journal of dentistry · 2026Article
- The Interplay of Salivary Leptin, Taste Perception, and Dental Caries in Adolescent Girls: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Across Body Mass Index Categories.Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community DentistryArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Aim: Dental caries remains a significant public health burden among children in Libya, yet national-level epidemiological data are fragmented and inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to provide a comprehensive estimate of caries prevalence and severity among Libyan school children. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) was conducted for studies published between January 1990 and June 2024. Inclusion criteria targeted observational studies reporting Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) scores or prevalence of caries among children aged 5-15 years in Libya. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using Results: Seventeen studies were included, encompassing a pooled sample of 7149 children for DMFT and 7079 for prevalence. The overall mean DMFT was 2.577 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.533-2.620), and the pooled prevalence of caries in permanent teeth was 64.7% (95% CI: 63.9%-65.4%). Substantial heterogeneity was observed ( Conclusions: Libyan children exhibit a high burden of dental caries, with significant geographic and methodological variability. These findings emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive preventive programs, school-based oral healthcare initiatives, and improved data collection strategies across all Libyan regions.
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Registered trials
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