Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the studies.
| Author-Year | Type of Study | Age (Years) at Enrollment | Duration of Follow-Up (Years) | Country | Sample Size (N) | Type of Dentition | Measurements Taken | Any Dental Caries (n, %) | DMFT Scores (Mean, SD) | Anthropometric Status (n, %) | Primary Objective | NOS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pérez-2021 [47] | Cross-sectional | 9.9 years (SD: 1.2) | None | Mexico | 728 | Mixed | ICDAS II 1–6 index | Overall: 593 (81.5%); ICDAS II 1–3: 277 (38.1%); ICDAS II 4–6: 316 (43.4%) | NR | NR | To evaluate the association between sociodemographic factors and caries | 7 |
| Renggli−2021 [45] | Cross-sectional data of a prospective cohort | <2 years | 1 year | Cambodia | 1307 | Primary | dmft index; Anthropometric measures used the WHO Child Growth Standards; Socioeconomic status using Principal Component Analysis; Dietary intake with a 24-h food recall | Overall: 629 (51.9%); <6 months: 15 (10.5%); 6–12 months: 71 (25.5%); 12–18 months: 246 (56.2%); 18–24 months: 297 (66.3%) | Overall: 5.1 (SD: 3.6); Stunted: 2.3 (SD: 3.6); Non-stunted: 5.1 (SD: 3.6) (p = 0.053) | Stunted: 332 (25.4%) | To examine the association between dental caries and the presence of new cases of stunting malnutrition at 1-year follow-up | 8 |
| Ndekero-2021 [46] | Cross-sectional | 4.2 years (SD: 0.7) | None | Tanzania | 831 | Primary | dmft index; Anthropometric measures using WHO child growth standards | Overall: 372 (44.8%); 1–4 decays: 219 (26.4%); >5 decays: 101 (12.2%) | Overall: 2.5 | Stunted: 13 (1.6%); Underweight: 35 (4.2%); Wasted: 248 (29.8%) | To determine the prevalence of dental caries, risk factors and nutritional status | 6 |
| Folayan-2019 [43] | Cross-sectional | 3.7 years (SD: 1.3) | None | Nigeria | 370 | Primary | dmft index; Anthropometric measures using WHO child growth standards; OHI-S; Oral hygiene status (the index of Greene and Vermillion) | Overall: 18 (4.9%); 6–35 months: 0; 36–47 months: 5 (1.4%); 48–59 months: 8 (2.2%); 60–71 months: 5 (1.4%) | Overall: 0.14 (SD: 0.8) | Stunted: 120 (4.9%); Underweight: 20 (5.4%); Wasted: 67 (18.1%); Overweight: 20 (5.4%) | To determine the association between the prevalence of dental caries and malnutrition | 7 |
| Adeniyi-2016 [44] | Cross-sectional | 7.8 years (SD: 1.5) | None | Nigeria | 973 | Mixed | dmft and DMFT index; Anthropometric measures using WHO child growth standards; OHI | Overall: 211 (21.7%); 5 years: 55 (5.7%); 6 years: 162 (16.6%); 7 years: 165 (17%); 8 years: 198 (20.3%); 9 years: 177 (18.2%); 10 years: 216 (22.2%) | Overall: 0.5 (SD: 1.1); 5 years: 0.2 (SD: 0.7); 6 years: 0.5 (SD: 1.3); 7 years: 0.5 (SD: 1.2); 8 years: 0.6 (SD: 1.2); 9 years: 0.6 (SD: 1.1); 10 years: 0.3 (SD: 0.8) | Stunted: 135 (13.9%); Underweight: 132 (13.6%); Wasted: 106 (10.9%) | To determine the association between caries and the nutritional status | 6 |
| Ayele-2013 [48] | Cross-sectional | 7–14 years | None | Ethiopia | 842 | Mixed | dmft and DMFT index | Overall: 306 (36.3%) | NR | NR | To assess the prevalence and associated factors of dental caries | 5 |
| Borges-2012 [42] | Cross-sectional | 4–6 years | None | Brazil | 1993 | Primary | dmft index | Overall: 821 (41.2%) | Overall: 1.5 (SD: 2.6) | NR | To analyze the influence of socio-behavioral factors on the prevalence and severity of dental caries | 5 |
| Saraiva-2007 [39] | Cross-sectional | 2–5 years | None | Brazil | 3189 | Primary | dmft index; Anthropometric measures using WHO child growth standards | Overall: 907 (28.4%); >1: 689 (21.6%) | NR | NR | To assess the association between intrauterine growth restriction and dental caries | 5 |
| Moura-2006 [40] | Cross-sectional data of a prospective cohort | 3–6 years | 0–3 years | Brazil | 343 | Primary | dmft index | Overall: 152 (44.3%) | 2.1 (SD: 1.4) | NR | To evaluate the prevalence of caries in children that participate in a dental program attending mothers and children | 4 |
| Peres-2005 [38] | Prospective cohort | Birth | 12 years | Brazil | 339 | Mixed | dmft and DMFT index; Anthropometric measures using WHO child growth standards | Overall: 176 (51.8%) | Overall: 1.2 (SD: 1.6) | Height for age (HAZ) at 1 year >2 (caries vs. no caries): 149 (84.7%) vs. 154 (94.5%); ≤2 (caries vs. no caries): 23 (13.1%) vs. 5 (3.1%); Height for age (HAZ) at 4 years >2 (caries vs. no caries): 149 (84.7%) vs. 155 (95.1%); ≤2 (caries vs. no caries): 23 (13.1%) vs. 5 (3.1%) | To investigate the relationship between social and biological conditions experienced in very early life | 7 |
| Fraiz-2001 [41] | Cross-sectional data of a prospective cohort | 2.9 years (SD: 0.6) | 1 year | Brazil | 200 | Primary | dmft index | 65 (32.5%) | NR | NR | To investigate the factors associated with the development of dental caries in preschool children who receive regular dental care and follow-up | 6 |