Associations between dental caries and systemic diseases: a scoping review

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate and present evidence from animal and human clinical studies on associations between dental caries and systemic diseases, and to suggest potential mechanisms that might explain such associations. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for articles published from 2010 to 2020 in the English language. From the initial search, 404 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility. After excluding studies for technical and study limitations, a total of 67 studies were included in the summary tables and additional studies were included in the review to support evidence. RESULTS: Few systemic disease and conditions were found to be clinically meaningfully associated with caries experience. Best evidence from human and animal studies described association between metabolic diseases and dental caries. Several interesting animal studies were noted that could generate clinical hypotheses and further investigations in rodent models for cardiovascular injury and hyperglycemia. Inadequate data was found to suggest any modifications to current clinical practice or prevention guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Limited clinical evidence was found connecting several systemic diseases and dental caries. Inadequate data was found to suggest any modifications to current clinical practice or prevention guidelines. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding of associations between dental caries and systemic diseases play a crucial role in the treatment planning and education of the dental patient.