Relationship Between Celiac Disease and Dental Caries in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: To assess the relationship between celiac disease and the prevalence of dental caries in children and adolescents and also evaluate if dental enamel defects in celiac children predispose to dental caries. Material and Methods: Searches were performed in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences, and OpenGrey. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. DMFT/dmft and DMFS/dmfs data of observational studies that compared the prevalence of caries between children and adolescents with celiac disease and healthy individuals. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. Heterogeneity between studies was estimated using Cochran’s Q test, and inconsistency was measured using I2 statistics. Results: Of the 121 studies retrieved, 17 were selected, and 12 were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of caries in the primary dentition (dmft) did not differ between celiac patients and controls [SMD = -0.35; 95% CI (-0.83; 0.13); p = 0,15; I2 = 89%]. There was also no difference in the prevalence of caries in permanent teeth (DMFT) between groups [SMD = -0.44; 95% CI (-1.02; 0.14); p = 0.14; I2 = 95%]. Conclusion: Celiac disease is not a determinant factor in the development of dental caries in children and adolescents compared to the control group.