Efficacy of periodontal treatment modalities in Down syndrome patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective The systematic review aimed to review the existing evidence, to identify and appraise the effectiveness of periodontal prevention and treatment modalities in individuals diagnosed with Down syndrome (DS) and to determine the estimates of the effects of implemented periodontal prevention and treatment strategies compared to chromosomally normal (CN) individuals. Methodology The systematic review was conducted and reported in conformity with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. The study protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework. Electronic and manual searches, in accordance with PICO framework and delineated inclusion/exclusion criteria, were conducted in multiple databases. Results The initial search identified 11,704 studies. After removing duplicates, 9,048 remained. Title and abstract screening narrowed these to 281 for full-text review. Ultimately, 16 studies met the inclusion criteria, with 4 eligible for quantitative data synthesis. Results of the meta-analysis indicated that professional tooth cleaning in combination with oral hygiene reinforcement was less effective in the reduction of PPD in patients with DS compared to those without DS (Mean difference (MD): 0.23; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.14 to 0.32; p < 0.001). Discussion These findings suggest that conventional periodontal treatment is less effective in managing periodontitis in patients with DS. Thus, tailored periodontal care strategies that address the specific needs of individuals with DS should be implemented to improve treatment outcomes for this population The presence of moderate to high risk of bias in the included studies underscores the need for rigorously designed research that minimizes bias through effective blinding, randomization, control of confounding factors, and inclusion of diverse treatment outcomes to further investigate these associations. Conclusion Based on the best available evidence, professional tooth cleaning combined with oral hygiene instructions appears to be less effective in reducing pocket depths in individuals with DS compared to those without DS. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UXTCG