Table 3.
Selected outcomes evaluating the association between dental caries and PTB
| Outcomes | N studies (n/N) | OR (95% CI) | P | I2 %* |
| PTB, women with dental caries versus controls | 5 (1472/4246) | 1.16 (0.90 to 1.49) | 0.25 | 35 |
| DMFT (PTB vs non-PTB) | 5 (2963) | 1.56 (−0.28 to 3.41) | 0.10 | 92 |
| DMFS (PTB vs non-PTB) | 3 (2594) | −0.15 (−3.40 to 3.09) | 0.9 | 89 |
*I2 is a measure of the heterogeneity among the included studies. a value ≥50% indicates high while <50% low heterogeneity.
DMFT, decayed, missed and filled teeth; DMFS, decayed, missed and filled surface; n, number of events; N, total number of participants; PTB, preterm birth.