What do systematic reviews say?

Antifibrinolytic therapy (tranexamic acid or epsilon aminocaproic acid) vs Placebo, no intervention or usual care (with or without placebo)

Antifibrinolytic therapy (tranexamic acid or epsilon aminocaproic… showed no clear difference in side effects or other adverse events compared with placebo, no intervention or usual care (with or without placebo) (low certainty).

• Antifibrinolytic therapy for preventing oral bleeding in patients with haemophilia or Von Willebrand disease… 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Up to 10 days postoperative
  RD 0.034 [-0.32, 0.38]
  2 studies · 59 participants
  Low

Antifibrinolytic therapy - locally-applied tranexamic acid (TXA) mouthwash/solution (SoF eligibility: TXA or EACA; all included trials used topical TXA) vs Placebo mouthwash

Antifibrinolytic therapy - locally-applied tranexamic acid (TXA)… showed no clear difference in side effects or other adverse events requiring withdrawal compared with placebo (placebo solution/mouthwash) (moderate certainty).

• Antifibrinolytic therapy for preventing oral bleeding in people on anticoagulants undergoing minor oral surgery or… 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  7 days
  RD 0.00 [-0.04, 0.04]
  2 studies · 128 participants
  Moderate

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs pimecrolimus 1%

Topical triamcinolone acetonide showed no clear difference in adverse effects compared with topical pimecrolimus; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  end of treatment
  RR 0.21 [0.01, 4.10]
  1 study · 35 participants
  GRADE not reported

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs Topical tacrolimus

Topical triamcinolone acetonide may leads to lower adverse effects compared with topical tacrolimus (low certainty).

• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3-8 weeks
  RR 0.47 [0.22, 0.99]
  2 studies · 58 participants
  Low

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs Topical ciclosporin

Topical triamcinolone acetonide led to lower adverse effects compared with topical ciclosporin; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  end of treatment
  RR 0.15 [0.05, 0.49]
  1 study · 139 participants
  GRADE not reported

Vasodilator vs Placebo or no active treatment

• Interventions for managing oral submucous fibrosis 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse effects (any): 0 placebo vs 14 minor (transient flushing and upper trunk warmness); 85 (2); no GRADE rating.
  2 studies · 85 participants
  GRADE not reported

Vitamin A or retinoids (systemic or topical; incl. 13-cis-retinoic acid, acitretin) vs placebo or no treatment

• Interventions for treating oral leukoplakia to prevent oral cancer 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 to 12 months
  SoF 1, Safety of the intervention at 4 to 12 months: '3 studies (1 each evaluating topical acitretin, topical 13-cis-retinoic acid, 200,000 IU per week of vitamin A) found no adverse effects. Systemic 13-cis-retinoic…
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

CAD/CAM nitinol fixed (bonded) retainer vs Multistrand / spiral wire fixed (bonded) retainer

CAD/CAM nitinol fixed (bonded) retainer showed no clear difference in adverse effects on oral health: Gingival Index (lower arch) compared with conventional/analogue multistrand fixed (bonded) retainer (low certainty).

• Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months · lower arch
  MD 0.00 [-0.16, 0.16]
  2 studies · 107 participants
  Low

CAD/CAM nitinol fixed (bonded) retainer vs Multistrand / spiral wire fixed (bonded) retainer

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months · lower arch
  No RCTs at 12-month follow-up; 2 RCTs at 6 months found no difference (low-certainty)
  0 studies
  No studies found

Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell… showed no clear difference in adverse effects compared with standard therapy alone; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 to 70 months · Moderate to severe chills (BCG-CWP, all grades)
  RR 11.00 [0.67, 179.29]
  1 study · 24 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 to 70 months · Nausea/vomiting (rIL-2, grades >=3)
  RR 3.40 [0.15, 77.34]
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 to 70 months · Stomatitis (rIL-2, all grades)
  RR 1.47 [0.75, 2.90]
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus… led to higher adverse effects compared with standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  40 to 60 months · Skin toxicity (lapatinib, all grades)
  RR 2.02 [1.23, 3.32]
  1 study · 67 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  40 to 60 months · Gastrointestinal complaints (gefitinib, all grades)
  RR 1.04 [0.98, 1.11]
  1 study · 226 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  40 to 60 months · Gastrointestinal complaints (lapatinib, all grades)
  RR 15.53 [2.18, 110.55]
  1 study · 67 participants
  GRADE not reported

EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 to 70 months · Mucositis (all grades)
  Mucositis all grades: not estimable due to high heterogeneity (P=0.0009; I2=86%) between subgroups (cetuximab; nimotuzumab) and within cetuximab (I2=93%); 1417 participants, 3 studies. Table 3, row 1.6 (Ang 2014;…
  3 studies · 1417 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 to 70 months · Skin toxicity/acneiform rash (cetuximab, all grades)
  RR 6.56 [5.35, 8.03]
  2 studies · 1311 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 to 70 months · Xerostomia (grades >=3)
  RR 1.36 [0.80, 2.31]
  2 studies · 1311 participants
  GRADE not reported