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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.
1,344 questions in 217 reviews · Oral Health
current versionsNo studies 1,344 · 100%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 0 · 0%Low 0 · 0%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.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy) Adverse events associated with treatment · Adults with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment (2023) · Cochrane | Adverse events: not reported for any participants (Iyer 2015). | 0 studies | No studies |
CAD/CAM nitinol fixed (bonded) retainer vs Conventional/analogue multistrand fixed (bonded) retainer Adverse effects on oral health: bleeding on probing (lower arch) · People who had received fixed appliance orthodontic treatment · 12 months, lower arch Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces (2023) · Cochrane | No RCTs at 12-month follow-up; 2 RCTs at 6 months found no difference (low-certainty) | 0 studies | No studies |
Superselective neck dissection vs Selective neck dissection Total mortality · Adults with oral cavity cancer (tongue or floor of mouth) and clinically negative neck nodes Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment (2023) · Cochrane | Total mortality: not reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Light-emitting diode (LED) photobiomodulation vs Conventional orthodontic appliance treatment Total number of orthodontic appliance adjustment appointments during treatment · Adolescents and adults with malocclusion undergoing fixed orthodontic appliance treatment Non‐surgical adjunctive interventions for accelerating tooth movement in patients undergoing orthodontic… (2023) · Cochrane | Total number of orthodontic appliance adjustment appointments required during treatment stage | Not reported | NR | No studies |
Supraomohyoid neck dissection vs Modified radical neck dissection Disease-free survival · Adults with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment (2023) · Cochrane | Disease-free survival: not reported (Guo 2014 reported disease-specific survival, not a review outcome). | 0 studies | No studies |
Full-time clear plastic (removable) retainer vs Any type of fixed (bonded) retainer Patient satisfaction: discomfort/pain (lower arch) · People who had received fixed appliance orthodontic treatment · 12 months, lower arch Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces (2023) · Cochrane | No studies measured or reported this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy) Recurrence · Adults with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer · oral cavity Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment (2023) · Cochrane | Recurrence: not reported for the oral cancer subgroup (Iyer 2015). | 0 studies | No studies |
Fibre-reinforced composite fixed (bonded) retainer vs Multistrand / spiral wire fixed (bonded) retainer Survival: mean survival time (lower arch, months) · People who had received fixed appliance orthodontic treatment · 12 months, lower arch Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces (2023) · Cochrane | No RCTs at 12-month follow-up; 2 RCTs at 24 months: earlier failures with fibre-reinforced composite (MD -1.48, 95% CI -1.88 to -1.08; very low-certainty) | 0 studies | No studies |
Surgery vs Radiotherapy alone Recurrence · Adults with oropharyngeal cancer Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment (2023) · Cochrane | Recurrence: not reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Any (current minimally invasive techniques) Not applicable (no eligible studies) · Adults with coronal (crown) dental caries in permanent teeth A systematic review on the effect of silver diamine fluoride for management of dental caries in permanent… (2023) | The review states there was a lack of studies on the effects of SDF on coronal caries in adults; included adult studies addressed only root caries. | 0 studies | No studies |
Superselective neck dissection vs Selective neck dissection Recurrence · Adults with oral cavity cancer (tongue or floor of mouth) and clinically negative neck nodes Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment (2023) · Cochrane | Recurrence: outcome not reported in a usable way in either study. | 0 studies | No studies |
Fibre-reinforced composite fixed (bonded) retainer vs Multistrand / spiral wire fixed (bonded) retainer Adverse effects on oral health: Gingival Index (lower arch) · People who had received fixed appliance orthodontic treatment · 12 months, lower arch Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces (2023) · Cochrane | No RCTs at 12-month follow-up; 1 RCT at 6 months: higher gingival inflammation with fibre-reinforced composite (MD 0.59, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.05; very low-certainty) | 0 studies | No studies |
Light-emitting diode (LED) photobiomodulation vs Conventional orthodontic appliance treatment Harms and side effects arising during treatment · Adolescents and adults with malocclusion undergoing fixed orthodontic appliance treatment Non‐surgical adjunctive interventions for accelerating tooth movement in patients undergoing orthodontic… (2023) · Cochrane | Harms and side effects | Not reported. None of the included studies assessed harms arising during the LED intervention. | NR | No studies |
Zinc oxide eugenol vs Alvogyl (old formulation) Limitation of chewing or swallowing · Adults (>18 years) with established dry socket following permanent tooth extraction Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) vs Alternative (active) treatment (e.g. oral splint, medication, self-care or disease management) Quality of life · People aged 12 years and over with painful TMD lasting 3 months or longer Psychological therapies for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) (2022) · Cochrane | This outcome was not measured (not synthesised for this comparison; review-wide only one study reported quality of life). | NR | No studies |
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls Kaposi's sarcoma (WHO clinical stage 4) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point) Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022) | Planned WHO stage 4 outcome; no eligible studies (Table 2 lists 'None'). | 0 studies | No studies |
Traditional screening (referral card given if the inspecting dentist judges the child needs to see a dentist) vs No screening Proportion of children with treated/untreated caries · School children (aged 4 to 15 years), primary and secondary schools in the UK and India School dental screening programmes for oral health (2022) · Cochrane | Proportion of children with treated/untreated caries: Not reported (Summary of findings 1). | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant vs Resin-based sealant Adverse events · Children with caries-free second primary molars, aged 4-8 years (dental clinic, Turkey and Spain) Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Responsive complementary feeding (RCF) vs Other models of complementary feeding Hypertension · Healthy children aged 6–24 months in Western industrialized countries Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other… (2022) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Traditional screening (referral card given if the inspecting dentist judges the child needs to see a dentist) vs No screening Developmental defects of enamel measured by any validated index · School children (aged 4 to 15 years), primary and secondary schools in the UK and India School dental screening programmes for oral health (2022) · Cochrane | No studies measured developmental defects of enamel (by any validated index). | 0 studies | No studies |
Glass ionomer-based sealant vs Resin-based sealant (fluoride-releasing or non-fluoride-releasing) Progression of non-cavitated enamel caries · 'Healthy' children with caries-free second primary molars, aged 3-5 years (schools and kindergartens, India and China) Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Zinc oxide eugenol vs Alvogyl (old formulation) Swelling · Adults (>18 years) with established dry socket following permanent tooth extraction Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Zinc oxide eugenol vs Alvogyl (old formulation) Fever · Adults (>18 years) with established dry socket following permanent tooth extraction Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Oral care vs No oral care Outcome NR · Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities Oral care measures for preventing nursing home‐acquired pneumonia (2022) · Cochrane | No studies evaluated oral care versus no oral care. | 0 studies | No studies |
Any preprocedural mouth rinse vs Placebo, no rinsing or control Adverse events such as transient discolouration, altered taste, allergic reaction, hypersensitivity · Dental patients undergoing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) Preprocedural mouth rinses for preventing transmission of infectious diseases through aerosols in dental… (2022) · Cochrane | SoF tables state 'Not reported'; no included study reported adverse events. | 0 studies | No studies |
Any preprocedural mouth rinse vs Placebo, no rinsing or control Incidence of infection of dental healthcare providers · Dental patients undergoing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) Preprocedural mouth rinses for preventing transmission of infectious diseases through aerosols in dental… (2022) · Cochrane | Primary outcome. Not measured by any of the 17 included studies (SoF tables state 'Not reported'); remained a total evidence gap from the protocol. | 0 studies | No studies |
Periodontal treatment: scaling and root planing (SRP) plus advice vs Community care: advice only All CVD-related death · People with cardiovascular disease and chronic periodontitis Periodontal therapy for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with periodontitis (2022) · Cochrane | SoF row 'All CVD-related death': Outcome not reported. Results 2.1.2: Not reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart Tooth loss · Adults with a clinical diagnosis of (chronic) periodontitis (1999 classification); studies of aggressive… Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults (2022) · Cochrane | Tooth loss: None of the studies comparing FMD vs control reported tooth loss. | 0 studies | No studies |
Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) vs Monotherapy or dual antiretroviral therapy Angular cheilitis prevalence · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH) Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Oral Health among Children Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and… (2022) | No eligible studies compared angular cheilitis between CLWH on different ART medications. | 0 studies | No studies |
Responsive complementary feeding (RCF) vs Other models of complementary feeding Choking events · Healthy children aged 6–24 months in Western industrialized countries Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other… (2022) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Glass ionomer-based sealant vs No sealant Adverse events · Children with caries-free primary first molars (with or without caries on other teeth), aged 1-5 years (paediatric… Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Responsive complementary feeding (RCF) / other caregivers' feeding practices vs Other models of complementary feeding (traditional/non-responsive CF) Type 2 diabetes (later in life) · Healthy, term-born, normal-birth-weight infants aged 4-24 months (breastfed and/or formula-fed) in Western… · Later in life Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other… (2022) | No studies on the influence of caregivers' feeding practices during complementary feeding on type 2 diabetes later in life were identified. | 0 studies | No studies |
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) vs Alternative (active) treatment (e.g. oral splint, medication, self-care or disease management) Additional physical symptoms · People aged 12 years and over with painful TMD lasting 3 months or longer Psychological therapies for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) (2022) · Cochrane | This outcome was not measured (not synthesised for this comparison; review-wide only one study reported additional physical symptoms). | NR | No studies |
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) vs Usual care, waiting list or no treatment (control) Quality of life · People aged 12 years and over with painful TMD lasting 3 months or longer Psychological therapies for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) (2022) · Cochrane | This outcome was not measured for this comparison. | NR | No studies |
Responsive complementary feeding (RCF) vs Other models of complementary feeding Dental caries · Healthy children aged 6–24 months in Western industrialized countries Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other… (2022) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant vs Resin-based sealant Progression of non-cavitated enamel caries · Children with caries-free second primary molars, aged 4-8 years (dental clinic, Turkey and Spain) Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Traditional screening (referral card given if the inspecting dentist judges the child needs to see a dentist) vs No screening Gingivitis measured by any validated index · School children (aged 4 to 15 years), primary and secondary schools in the UK and India School dental screening programmes for oral health (2022) · Cochrane | No studies measured gingivitis (by any validated index). | 0 studies | No studies |
Autopolymerised sealant vs Light polymerised sealant Adverse events · Children with sound primary molars, aged 2-4 years (municipal dental clinics or hospital paediatric clinics, Denmark) Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Flowable resin composite vs Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant Adverse events · Children who were regular dental attenders with caries-free first or second primary molars (public health service… Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedure vs No antibiotic prophylaxis or placebo Mortality or serious adverse events requiring hospitalisation · Adults or children at increased risk of bacterial endocarditis (pre-existing cardiac condition) undergoing an invasive… Antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing bacterial endocarditis following dental procedures (2022) · Cochrane | Mortality or serious adverse events requiring hospitalisation | No data reported | 248 (1 study) | - | - | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant vs No sealant (no treatment) Adverse events · Children with caries-free or non-cavitated carious lesion primary molars, aged 3-7 years (paediatric department,… Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Flowable resin composite vs Fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant Progression of non-cavitated enamel caries · Children who were regular dental attenders with caries-free first or second primary molars (public health service… Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth (2022) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) vs Monotherapy or dual antiretroviral therapy Dental development and maturation · Children and adolescents (<18 years) living with HIV (CLWH) Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Oral Health among Children Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and… (2022) | No eligible studies compared dental development and maturation between CLWH on different ART medications. | 0 studies | No studies |
Bio-active restorative materials vs Other restorative approaches Clinical effectiveness · Children with carious primary teeth · At least 12 months Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp… (2022) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Periodontal treatment: scaling and root planing (SRP) plus advice vs Community care: advice only All-cause death · People with cardiovascular disease and chronic periodontitis Periodontal therapy for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with periodontitis (2022) · Cochrane | SoF row 'All-cause death': Outcome not reported. Results 2.1.1: Not reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis/periodontitis (WHO clinical stage 3) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point) Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022) | Planned WHO stage 3 outcome; no eligible studies (Table 2 lists 'None'). | 0 studies | No studies |
Living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART) vs Healthy HIV-negative controls Chronic herpes simplex infection (WHO clinical stage 4) · Children and adolescents (<18 years) · Cross-sectional (case-control; single time point) Oral Health Status of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A… (2022) | Planned WHO stage 4 outcome; no eligible studies (Table 2 lists 'None'). | 0 studies | No studies |
Bio-active restorative materials (containing bio-active compounds) vs Any conventional restorative material Treatment failure (planned; no eligible studies) · Children with carious primary teeth after vital or non-vital pulp therapy Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious lesions in pulp treated… (2022) | No studies were found that reported on the use of restorative materials containing bio-active compounds for the restoration of carious primary teeth after vital or non-vital pulp therapy. | 0 studies | No studies |
Any preprocedural mouth rinse vs Placebo, no rinsing or control Change of microbiota in the patient's mouth · Dental patients undergoing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) Preprocedural mouth rinses for preventing transmission of infectious diseases through aerosols in dental… (2022) · Cochrane | No included study reported change of oral microbiota. | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoride-containing dental care products / fluoride intake vs Male vs female Sex/gender differences in fluoride intake or dental-care-product contribution · Participants stratified by sex/gender (especially young children) Fluoride Intake Through Dental Care Products: A Systematic Review. (2022) | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |