Impact of oral health literacy on oral conditions among different population groups (A systematic review and meta-analysis)

Background and Objectives: Literacy in oral health is essential for promoting and preventing oral health issues. Evaluating oral health literacy enables the identification of opportunities to implement interventions at both policy and practice levels, aiming to improve oral health outcomes for individuals and populations. This review aims to conduct a systematic review focused on the association between oral health literacy and oral conditions. Materials and Methods: The search strategy aimed to retrieve both published and unpublished literature. The databases searched include PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, CINAHL, ProQuest, EBSCO- APA PsycInfo, and Shodhganga. After the search, all retrieved citations were examined to determine whether they meet the inclusion requirements. When possible, quantitative data was combined and analysed through a meta-analysis. The methodological validity of the included studies was critically evaluated using the JBI critical evaluation tool. The effect size was provided as a risk ratio or odds ratio for dichotomous data, while standard mean differences was used to depict it for continuous data. Statistics were used to evaluate study heterogeneity. In cases where statistical pooling is not possible, the findings were reported descriptively. Results: This review incorporated data from 9,044 participants across 22 crosssectional studies. The results indicated an association between inadequate oral health literacy and individuals experiencing dental caries [OR: 0.36(95% CI 0.15, 0.89) Thirteen studies, 4857 participants], Periodontal pocket [OR: 0.38 (95% CI 0.24, 0.62) five studies, 2651 participants], and tooth loss [OR: 0.57(95% CI 0.45, 0.72) 2 studies, 1281 participants]. However, it's important to note that the studies included in this review were identified as having a high risk of methodological bias. Conclusion: Oral health Literacy is associated with poor oral health conditions; however, the quality of evidence is low.