This systematic review aimed to assess the association between food and drink consumption around bedtime—specifically, food and drinks containing free sugars—and the risk of dental caries in children. Five electronic databases were searched (PubMed, Ovid Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus) to identify studies that investigated any relationship between food and drink around bedtime and dental caries in 3- to 16-y-old children. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality domain guidelines were used to assess the quality of the individual studies, while GRADE guidelines assessed the quality of studies based on the body of evidence. From 1,270 retrieved titles, 777 remained after removal of duplicates. Of these, 72 were reviewed in full. Eighteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis: 13 cross-sectional, 4 cohort, and 1 case-control. Studies were categorized into 3 age groups: 3- to 5-y-old, 6- to 11-y-old, and 12- to 16-y-old children. Based on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality criteria, 6 of the 18 studies were rated as providing good-quality evidence; 8 were rated as fair; and 4 were categorized as being of poor quality. It was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis, because of the considerable variations in the type of bedtime exposure and outcome measures. The studies showed a consistent positive association across the 3 age groups, with all 7 studies on preschool children reporting significant positive associations. However, the quality of the body of evidence pertaining to the consumption of food and drinks at bedtime (specifically, food and drinks containing free sugars) and risk of caries was rated as “very low.” The results suggest that restricting free sugars before and at bedtime may reduce the risk of caries, but studies with improved design are needed to confirm this. Knowledge Transfer Statement: This is the first systematic review of the evidence assessing the association between caries risk in children and the consumption of food or drinks at bedtime—specifically, foods and drinks containing free sugars. Although the data showed a consistent positive association, the quality of evidence was very low. This means that the current recommendation to restrict food and drinks containing free sugars before bedtime in children, while based on a sound physiologic premise, is supported only by very low-quality published evidence as measured by GRADE guidelines.

White spot lesions (WSLs) are a common complication after treatment using fixed orthodontic appliances. Decalcification of enamel surrounding fixed orthodontic appliances, known as WSLs, poses a significant aesthetic difficulty during and after treatment, as the purpose of fixed orthodontic therapy is to improve facial and dental appearance. Modern dentistry utilizes remineralization therapies to non-invasively treat WSLs to prevent the progression of disease and enhance the strength, appearance, and functionality of the affected tooth. This review aims to identify and assess the etiology, formation, and risk factors, as well as current treatment approaches used in achieving WSLs remineralization, induced by fixed orthodontic appliances. An electronic search on the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases was performed using a selected keyword. A total of 172 studies (from 2013 to 2023) were retrieved. Their references were also checked to find other relevant studies. Duplicate copies were excluded. After the abstract and full-text screening, only 39 studies were included. Even though numerous studies address the different treatment modalities for managing post-orthodontic WSLs, such as antiseptics; fluorides such as dentifrices, mouthwash, and varnish, and remineralizing agents such as casein phosphopeptides amorphous calcium phosphate, biomimetic self-assembling peptides, lasers, bleaching, microabrasion, and resin infiltration. There is a lack of evidence-based studies that examine the long-term effects of WSL treatment. Further well-performed controlled clinical trials with long-term follow-up are needed to establish best clinical practice.

Introduction: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is associated with several congenital anomalies, including non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFCs). This systematic review aimed to update the literature on the association between ETS and NSOFCs. Methods: Four databases were searched up to...