Association between type 1 diabetes mellitus and dental caries in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization study

Introduction This study aimed to examine the relationship between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and dental caries among children and adolescents through a meta-analysis, and to assess the potential causal link between these conditions using Mendelian randomization (MR) techniques. Methods A comprehensive literature review was carried out to identify relevant studies, and meta-analyses were conducted utilizing Stata statistical software. For the MR analyses, summary-level data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) regarding T1DM and dental caries in childhood and adolescence were gathered. Results The meta-analysis indicated that the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index for permanent teeth was notably higher in children with T1DM compared to the control group, yielding a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.19 (95% CI: 0.06–0.31; I 2 = 26.6%). However, the MR analysis did not reveal a significant causal relationship between T1DM and the prevalence of dental caries in children and adolescents (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.94–1.02, P = 0.308). Discussion While children and adolescents with T1DM are at an elevated risk for dental caries, no statistically significant causal link was observed. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/177851 identifier CRD2020177851.