What do systematic reviews say?

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with placebo chewing gum; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD 0.0 [-0.21, 0.21]
  1 study · 65 participants
  GRADE not reported

Miswak (Salvadora persica) stick vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Miswak (Salvadora persica) stick led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD -0.77 [-1.19, -0.35]
  1 study · 24 participants
  GRADE not reported

Subgingival laser irradiation + povidone-iodine vs SRP

Subgingival laser irradiation + povidone-iodine led to higher volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with SRP alone; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD 70.0 [63.88, 76.12]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

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

Topical G32 (ayurvedic preparation) showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with chlorhexidine digluconate 1% gel; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD 0.05 [-0.28, 0.38]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Sodium bicarbonate toothpaste vs Control toothpaste (without sodium bicarbonate)

Sodium bicarbonate toothpaste showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with control toothpaste (without sodium bicarbonate); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 weeks
  MD 105.8 [-16.2, 227.8]
  1 study · 148 participants
  GRADE not reported

Salvadora persica (miswak) mouthrinse vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Miswak (Salvadora persica) mouthwash showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD -0.2 [-1.03, 0.63]
  1 study · 21 participants
  GRADE not reported

SRP plus subgingival laser irradiation vs SRP

SRP plus subgingival laser irradiation showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with SRP alone; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD -3.3 [-9.38, 2.78]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

0.2% zinc sulphate toothpaste vs Placebo toothpaste (without zinc)

0.2% zinc sulphate toothpaste led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with placebo toothpaste (without zinc); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD -11.3 [-20.45, -2.15]
  1 study · 188 participants
  GRADE not reported

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum vs 0.4% eucalyptus chewing gum

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with 0.4% eucalyptus chewing gum; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD 0.0 [-0.21, 0.21]
  1 study · 64 participants
  GRADE not reported

Mechanical tongue cleaning (tongue scraper) vs No tongue cleaning

Mechanical tongue cleaning (tongue scraper) showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with no tongue cleaning; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD -7.69 [-47.08, 31.69]
  2 studies · 46 participants
  GRADE not reported

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Chlorhexidine + zinc mouthwash

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with chlorhexidine + zinc mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD 0.49 [-8.68, 9.66]
  1 study · 44 participants
  GRADE not reported

Herbal mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Herbal mouthwash led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  15 days
  MD -70.29 [-121.01, -19.57]
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Green tea mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Green tea mouthwash showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  28 days
  MD -57.39 [-184.63, 69.85]
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Toothbrushing + Turkish gall oral rinse vs Toothbrushing alone

Toothbrushing + Turkish gall oral rinse showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with toothbrushing; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -211.47 [-503.58, 80.64]
  1 study · 66 participants
  GRADE not reported

Lemongrass oil mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Lemongrass oil mouthwash led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  8 days
  MD -26.66 [-43.39, -9.93]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Abrasive candy; abrasive candy + 2% propolis; abrasive candy + 0.5% zinc gluconate vs Abrasive candy + 1% propolis + 0.25% zinc

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Barak 2012 (5-arm RCT) compared abrasive candy, abrasive candy with propolis and abrasive candy with zinc gluconate versus abrasive candy with propolis and zinc; VSC measured by halimeter. We could not use the results…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Triclosan dentifrice vs Negative control dentifrice

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Nogueira-Filho 2002 (5-arm trial) compared three commercial 0.3% triclosan dentifrices and an experimental formulation versus a negative control dentifrice; VSC by halimeter. We could not use the results in the…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Toothbrushing + 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Toothbrushing alone

Toothbrushing + 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with toothbrushing; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 weeks
  MD -8.04 [-15.87, -0.21]
  1 study · 70 participants
  GRADE not reported

Scaling and root planing (SRP) plus glycine powder air polishing vs Scaling/root planing alone

Scaling and root planing (SRP) plus glycine powder air polishing showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with scaling and root planing (SRP) alone; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  30 days
  MD -3.87 [-17.93, 10.19]
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Essential oil mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Essential oil mouthwash showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -5.13 [-32.94, 22.68]
  1 study · 45 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Garcia 2014 (2-arm RCT) compared essential oil mouthwash versus placebo mouthwash (VSC by halimeter). We could not include the results in the meta-analysis because of the missing SD and P value.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported