What do systematic reviews say?

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

Dual zinc + arginine dentifrice vs Control (regular fluoride) dentifrice

It is very uncertain whether dual zinc + arginine dentifrice changes dentist-reported OLT hedonic rating (scale 1 to 9) compared with control (regular fluoride) dentifrice (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 weeks
  MD -2.0 [-2.19, -1.81]
  1 study · 80 participants
  Very low

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

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

Hinokitiol gel showed no clear difference in VSC: methyl mercaptan compared with placebo gel; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  28 days
  MD -1.64 [-5.77, 2.49]
  1 study · 18 participants
  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

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

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

1000 mg champignon extract vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether 1000 mg champignon extract changes patient-reported visual analogue scale (VAS) score (scale 0 to 100) compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  MD -1.07 [-14.51, 12.37]
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low

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

Chlorine dioxide mouthrinse (with tongue scraping) showed no clear difference in VSC: third component compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash (with tongue scraping); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD 22.8 [-33.18, 78.78]
  1 study · 22 participants
  GRADE not reported

Sesame oil vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Asokan 2011 (2-arm trial) compared sesame oil versus chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash (OLT and BANA test). We could not include the results in the meta-analysis because they did not report post-intervention OLT score and P…
  1 study
  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
  Patient-reported OLT score: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for patient-reported OLT score.
  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

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

Chlorine dioxide mouthrinse (with tongue scraping) showed no clear difference in VSC: methyl mercaptan compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash (with tongue scraping); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD 7.63 [-1.7, 16.96]
  1 study · 22 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

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

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

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

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -20.04 [-37.71, -2.37]
  1 study · 47 participants
  GRADE not reported

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

It is very uncertain whether hinokitiol gel changes dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with placebo gel (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 4 weeks
  MD -0.27 [-1.26, 0.72]
  1 study · 18 participants
  Very low