What do systematic reviews say?

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs no intervention or control intervention (control)

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  High-dose melphalan-based treatment prior to HSCT (haematological cancers)
  Adverse events reported narratively: one study did not report adverse events (Askarifar 2015); another reported no serious adverse events (Toro 2013); the remaining two reported low rates of shooting pain from the…
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorouracil (5FU) treatment for solid cancers
  Adverse events reported narratively (not meta-analysed): one study reported no adverse effects (Katranci 2012); the other four 5FU studies reported low rates of very minor adverse events (headache, chills,…
  5 studies · 444 participants
  GRADE not reported

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray vs placebo

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse events narratively reported; no serious events attributed to EGF (not GRADE-rated)
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intestinal trefoil factor (ITF), oral spray vs placebo

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse events narratively reported (not GRADE-rated)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs Cryotherapy

Topical triamcinolone acetonide led to lower adverse events (split-mouth) compared with cryotherapy; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  OR 0.01 [0.00, 0.16]
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Mechanical tongue cleaning (tongue scraper) vs No tongue cleaning

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  Adverse events: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 4 weeks
  Adverse events: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Chlorhexidine + zinc acetate mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 months
  Adverse events: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Chlorhexidine + zinc mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  Adverse events reported by Borden 2002 were not related to the interventions.
  1 study · 44 participants
  GRADE not reported

1000 mg champignon extract vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  Adverse events: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

0.05% chlorhexidine + 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride + 0.14% zinc lactate mouthrinse vs Placebo mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  Adverse events (Table 6). Risk with placebo mouthwash: None reported. Risk with halita mouthwash: tongue staining was seen in patients who gargled, rather than rinsed. 40 participants (1 RCT). Certainty: VERY LOW.
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low

Chlorine dioxide + zinc mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  Adverse events reported by Borden 2002 were not related to the interventions.
  1 study · 41 participants
  GRADE not reported

Halita mouthrinse vs Perio-plus mouthrinse

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 8 days
  Adverse events (Table 12). Risk with Perio-plus mouthrinse: 1 patient reported unpleasant feeling after the use of the product; there were no severe adverse events reported. Risk with halita mouthrinse: 1 patient…
  1 study · 36 participants
  Very low

Topical G32 (ayurvedic preparation) vs Chlorhexidine, 0.2% to 2% (solution or gel)

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  Patil 2017 reported burning mucosa and drying of mouth in a few subjects using the control drug (chlorhexidine) and no adverse effects were reported in the intervention group (G32 tablets).
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc chloride + sodium fluoride dentifrice vs Sodium fluoride (control) toothpaste

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Payne 2011 reported 19 non-oral and 12 oral adverse effects. The oral effects were tingling sensation in lips, dry mouth or sore gums.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  Adverse events reported by Borden 2002 were not related to the interventions.
  1 study · 47 participants
  GRADE not reported

Chlorine dioxide mouthrinse (with tongue scraping) vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash (with tongue scraping)

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  Wirthlin 2011 reported altered taste sensation as the adverse event. OLT scores could not be included in the analysis as the group-wise data were not given.
  1 study · 22 participants
  GRADE not reported

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 4 weeks
  Adverse events: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Sodium bicarbonate toothpaste vs Control toothpaste (without sodium bicarbonate)

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 weeks
  Adverse events reported by Lomax 2017 were not related to the interventions.
  1 study · 148 participants
  GRADE not reported

Toothbrushing + 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Toothbrushing alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 weeks
  Adverse events: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Essential oil mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  Adverse events reported by Borden 2002 were not related to the interventions.
  1 study · 45 participants
  GRADE not reported