Dental trauma in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AimAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder primarily characterized by inattention and hyperactivity that affects approximately 7.2% of children and adolescents worldwide. This study aimed to assess whether children and adolescents with ADHD were more likely to have dental trauma when compared to their healthy peers. MethodsThis study was reported following the statements proposed in MOOSE (Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology). PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, APA PsycINFO, LILACS, and grey literature were searched until October 2022. Observational studies with a control group were eligible. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The meta-analysis was performed using the R language. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) was applied. ResultsA total of 239 studies were detected; of these, six were included in the qualitative synthesis and four were merged in the meta-analysis (OR = 1.80 [1.16-2.80]; I-2 = 18.6% [0.0%-87.5%]). The risk of bias was high. The strength of the evidence was "very low." ConclusionChildren and adolescents with ADHD are more likely to have dental trauma than their non-ADHD peers. However, due to limitations in the design of the included studies, a causal relationship cannot be established.