Frontiers of Global Research Trend on Root Caries: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the global research trend and frontiers in the field of root caries. Methods: Two independent investigators searched the Web of Science Core Collection to include journal articles published on root caries from 1994 to 2023. They examined citation trends of the selected publications and performed bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. Cooccurrence and cocitation analysis were used to calculate the burst strength of the most cited keywords and the most cited publications. Results: This study included 1144 publications (1004 scientific research articles and 140 review articles) for bibliometric analysis. The number of publications from 2018 to 2023 was 404, accounting for 35% (404/1144) over the last 30 years. The annual citation count showed a gradual upward trend with a surge from 2018. The cooccurrence analysis classified the publications into four clusters which were in vitro studies, prevention, microbiology, and epidemiology. Cocitation analysis revealed silver diamine fluoride, systematic review, and randomized clinical trial were the three main keywords; and their citation burst strength (period) were 17.2 (2017-2023), 9.4 (2015-2023), and 6.9 (2018-2023), respectively. Noninvasive treatment of root caries (narrative review), aetiology of root caries (narrative review), and use of silver diamine fluoride in arresting root caries (clinical trial) were the topics (publication type) of the three most cited publications; and their burst strength (period) were 8.9 (2017-2020), 5.9 (2017-2021), and 4.7 (2015-2018), respectively. Conclusion: This study highlights the recent growing research interest in root caries, particularly on its microbiology, prevention, and the use of silver diamine fluoride.