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Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
9 questions in 6 reviews · intervention: Fluoride varnish · outcome domain: Adverse effects/fluorosis
current versionsNo studies 2 · 22.2%Ungraded 4 · 44.4%Very low 0 · 0%Low 3 · 33.3%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
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| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Fluoride varnish applied before 4 years of age (biannual) vs Placebo varnish Fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) · Children exposed to topical fluoride when under 6 years old; fluorosis assessed in permanent teeth at 6 to 18 years · Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years) Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children (2024) · Cochrane | RR 0.77 [0.45, 1.31] | 1 study · 123 participants | Low |
Fluoride varnish applied before 4 years of age vs No fluoride varnish application Fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) · Children exposed to topical fluoride when under 6 years old; fluorosis assessed in permanent teeth at 6 to 18 years · Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years) Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children (2024) · Cochrane | OR 2.18 [1.46, 3.25] | 2 studies · 982 participants | Low |
Professionally-applied fluoride varnish (7700 or 10,000 ppm F), every 6 weeks vs Non-fluoride (placebo) varnish Adverse effects · Orthodontic patients of any age with fixed braces (new DLs assessed at debond) · At debond; follow-up 1.7 years Fluorides for preventing early tooth decay (demineralised lesions) during fixed brace treatment (2019) · Cochrane | SoF 1. Adverse effects: no evidence that the intervention had adverse effects; only 1 participant with an adverse event and unclear if directly related to the intervention. 148 participants (1 RCT, Sonesson 2019);… | 1 study · 148 participants | Low |
Chlorhexidine varnish vs Placebo or no treatment Adverse events (e.g. ulcers, tooth staining) · Children and adolescents below 18 years at study start (included studies: children from birth to 15 years), with… Chlorhexidine treatment for the prevention of dental caries in children and adolescents (2015) · Cochrane | One study reported no adverse events for ulcers or tooth staining. One study stated "side-effects due to the CHX treatment were not noted". | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Fluoride varnish vs Placebo or no treatment Adverse effects / specific side effects (oral allergic reactions, mucosal irritation, adverse symptoms such as nausea, gagging, vomiting) · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or less · At least 1 year Fluoride varnishes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2013) · Cochrane | Three trials (Salazar 2008; Skold 2005; Weintraub 2006) provided data reporting no adverse effects. There was little information concerning possible adverse effects; no pooled estimate was possible. | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Fluoride mouthrinse, gel or varnish combined with fluoride toothpaste (any combined regimen) vs Fluoride toothpaste alone Adverse effects (tooth staining and other side effects) · Children or adolescents aged 16 years or less Combinations of topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels, varnishes) versus single topical fluoride… (2004) · Cochrane | Adverse-effect data scarcely reported: a stain score in one trial and 'any side effects' in one trial without complete or useable data (stated 'no side effects observed in both groups'). No useful information on tooth… | NR | Ungraded |
Fluoride mouthrinse, gel or varnish combined with fluoride toothpaste (any combined regimen) vs Fluoride toothpaste alone Enamel fluorosis (adverse effect) · Children or adolescents aged 16 years or less Combinations of topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels, varnishes) versus single topical fluoride… (2004) · Cochrane | Fluorosis data have not been reported in any of the trials. | 0 studies | No studies |
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment Adverse effects (tooth staining/discoloration, oral soft-tissue signs, adverse symptoms such as nausea/vomiting, enamel etching) · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane | Data on adverse effects (stain score, proportion of children with tooth staining, signs of sensitivity in oral soft tissue, adverse symptoms such as nausea/vomiting, etching of enamel) were reported in only a few… | NR | Ungraded |
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment Dental fluorosis · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane | Fluorosis data have not been reported in any of the trials. | 0 studies | No studies |