A systematic review of the caries prevalence among children living in Chernobyl fallout countries

The present study analyzed the data concerning the caries prevalence in children born and permanently residing in Chernobyl fallout areas. Setting forth to evaluate if differences regarding the caries prevalence can be observed compared to non-contaminated sites of affected East European countries. Methods used to assess the caries prevalence were limited to DMFT/dmft (decayed, missing and filled teeth) for the primary and the permanent dentitions. The databases PubMed, EMBASE/Ovid, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and eLIBRARY were consulted for the electronic literature search. Screening of titles and abstracts followed the MOOSE guidelines, while data extraction and the assessment of the full texts were performed in accordance to the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. The statistical analysis revealed considerable heterogeneity of DMFT/dmft values (from I2 = 94% up to I2 = 99.9%; p < 0.05) in children of different ages (5–7; 12–15; and average of 12 years). Scattering of the weighted mean differences (95% CI) ranged from −1.03 (−1.36; −0.7) to 6.51 (6.11; 6.91). Although individual studies demonstrated a greater prevalence of dental caries in children residing in radiation-contaminated areas, no conclusive statement is possible regarding the effect of small dose radiation on the dentition. Hence, further high-quality epidemiologic investigations are needed.