Table 1.
Summary of quantitative synthesis to estimate overall mean effect of CWF cessation on DMFT, deft, DMFS, defs, based on estimates pooled across time points within age groups within each study
| Outcome/study type | Total number of studies and comparisons | Eligible number of studies and comparisons | Results/Comments Mean (SD) Number of participants (n) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMFT-no-comparison community | Studies: n=6 Comparisons: n=52 |
Studies: n=3 (Cuba;27 Czechoslovakia;28
29 East Germany25
26) Comparisons: n=18 |
Significant decrease in DMFT postcessation:−1.02 (−1.42, −0.62), n=9503 |
| DMFT-comparison community* | Studies: n=3 Comparisons: n=38 |
Studies: n=3 (Stranraer, Scotland;31–34 Netherlands;38
39 East Germany25
26) Comparisons: n=27 |
Significant increase in DMFT postcessation: 0.54 (0.24, 0.84), n=111 436 |
| deft-no-comparison community | Studies: n=5 Comparisons: n=15 |
Studies: n=2 (Wick, Scotland;37 China35
36) Comparisons: n=10 |
Significant increase in deft postcessation: 0.49 (0.11, 0.87), n=3947 |
| deft-comparison community* | Studies: n=2 Comparisons: n=5 |
Studies: n=1 (Stranraer, Scotland31–34) Comparisons: n=2 |
Overall effect not estimated (only 1 study) |
| DMFS-no-comparison community | Studies: n=1 Comparisons: n=4 |
Studies: n=1 (Cuba27) Comparisons: n=4 |
Overall effect not estimated (only 1 study) |
| DMFS-comparison community* | Studies: n=3 Comparisons: n=19 |
Studies: n=3 (Finland;16
18 Canada;19
20 Netherlands38) Comparisons: n=13 |
Overall effect estimated but not interpreted because studies include both positive and negative controls† |
| defs-no-comparison community | Studies: n=1 Comparisons: n=2 |
Studies: n=1 (Wick, Scotland37) Comparisons: n=2 |
Overall effect not estimated (only 1 study) |
| defs-comparison community* | Studies: n=1 Comparisons: n=6 |
Studies: n=1 (Finland17
18) Comparisons: n=3 |
Overall effect not estimated (only 1 study) |
| Total | Comparisons: n=141 | Comparisons: n=83 |
Comparison=any pair of precessation—postcessation data (any time frame, any age group); total=141.
Studies=intervention (instance of CWF cessation); total n=12.
Eligible studies/comparisons=contained non-missing (or non-imputable) data on mean, SD, and sample size (n).
DMFT, deft=decayed, missing, filled teeth (permanent, primary).
DMFS, defs=decayed, missing/extracted, filled tooth surfaces (permanent, primary).
Results are from random effects model.
*SD for change score was imputed, following Cochrane collaboration procedure10.
†Positive control: comparison community has CWF in place; negative control: comparison community does not have CWF in place.