Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40868836›Full record

ArticleLife (Basel, Switzerland)2025

The Association Between Serum Alpha-Carotene and Root Caries in U.S. Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Michelle Zak, Yash Brahmbhatt, Abdullah Muhsain, Balqais AlShammari, Badriyah Mandani, Meshari Alenezi, Abdulrahman Salem, Hend Alqaderi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Michelle ZakTufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.ORCID 0009-0006-2267-2424
Yash BrahmbhattTufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.ORCID 0009-0005-8044-6276
Abdullah MuhsainKuwait Ministry of Health, Kuwait City 15462, Kuwait.
Balqais AlShammariKuwait Ministry of Health, Kuwait City 15462, Kuwait.
Badriyah MandaniKuwait Ministry of Health, Kuwait City 15462, Kuwait.
Meshari AleneziKuwait Ministry of Health, Kuwait City 15462, Kuwait.
Abdulrahman SalemKuwait Ministry of Health, Kuwait City 15462, Kuwait.
Hend AlqaderiDepartment of Public Health, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Root caries is a form of decay affecting root surfaces of teeth, often exacerbated by periodontal disease, reduced salivary flow, and compromised mucosal health, all factors strongly influenced by nutrition. Despite this connection, few studies have addressed the role of vitamins in oral health. This study examines the association between serum levels of alpha-carotene (α-carotene), a potent antioxidant and proxy for vitamin A, and the experience of root caries. Using data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we conducted a cross-sectional analysis and applied a weighted multiple logistic regression model, adjusting for potential confounders including age, sex, education level, race, income-to-poverty ratio, and presence of gum disease. Higher serum α-carotene levels were inversely associated with root caries. Each unit increase in serum α-carotene was associated with a 9% decrease in the odds of having root caries (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.86-0.97;

Indexed as

alpha-caroteneantioxidantnutritional interventionoral healthroot cariesvitamin A precursor

Identifiers

PMID40868836
PMCPMC12387812

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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.