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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.
5 questions in 4 reviews · intervention: Oral hygiene/education · outcome domain: Microbiological/plaque
current versionsNo studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 1 · 20%Very low 3 · 60%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 1 · 20%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.
Intervention categories, outcome domains and clusters are a proposed key pending human validation. Clear all filters
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Theory-based oral health education/promotion interventions (HBM, TPB, SCT, HAPA, TTM, PMT, SOC, PRECEDE-PROCEED, MI) vs Control (waitlist, routine/standard oral health education, or minimal intervention) Dental plaque (plaque index) · Children and adolescents aged 5-18 years · Post-intervention (follow-up 1 to 24 months, varies by study), Overall Health promotion theory-based educational interventions for improving oral health in children and… (2025) | SMD -1.92 [-2.42, -1.42] | 9 studies · 12562 participants | Moderate |
Oral health education (advice and training) vs Standard care (oral health advice not specifically emphasised beyond usual care) Dental state: No clinically important change in plaque index · People with serious mental illness (all included participants had schizophrenia); majority aged 18 to 65 years per… Oral health education (advice and training) for people with serious mental illness (2016) · Cochrane | MD -0.5 [-0.62, -0.38] | 1 study · 40 participants | Very low |
Motivational interview plus oral health education vs Oral health education Dental state: No clinically important change in plaque index · People with serious mental illness (all included participants had schizophrenia); majority aged 18 to 65 years per… Oral health education (advice and training) for people with serious mental illness (2016) · Cochrane | MD -0.6 [-1.02, -0.18] | 1 study · 56 participants | Very low |
Interdental brushing plus toothbrushing vs Toothbrushing alone Plaque (Quigley & Hein plaque index, Turesky modification; scale 0 to 5) · Dentate adults aged 16 years and older · 4 weeks (1 month) Interdental brushing for the prevention and control of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults (2013) · Cochrane | MD -0.95 [-1.34, -0.56] | 1 study · 62 participants | Very low |
Brushing vs No treatment (immersion in distilled water) Microbial counts (total aerobes, anaerobes, yeasts) · Complete denture (CD) wearers in a nursing home Interventions for cleaning dentures in adults (2009) · Cochrane | Moore 1984 found that the seven tested methods were similar and resulted in a significant reduction in total aerobes and anaerobes compared with immersion in distilled water (paired t test, P < 0.05). Some chemical… | 1 study · 12 participants | Ungraded |