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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. Every word you type has to appear somewhere in the question, and the closest matches are ranked first.
10,375 questions in 429 reviews · Oral Health
current versionsNo studies 1,344 · 13%Ungraded 6,832 · 65.9%Very low 1,228 · 11.8%Low 613 · 5.9%Moderate 290 · 2.8%High 68 · 0.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment Caries increment on permanent tooth surfaces (D(M)FS), prevented fraction · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger (permanent dentition) · Nearest to 3 years Fluoride gels for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2015) · Cochrane | PF 0.28 [0.19, 0.36] | 25 studies · 8479 participants | Moderate |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Oral mucositis (severe) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · Low-dose methotrexate for GVHD prophylaxis after allogeneic HSCT Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 0.88 [0.61, 1.25] | 1 study · 122 participants | Very low |
Xylitol sucking tablets (1 g/day) vs No treatment Caries increment (dmfs) · Infants/young children (primary teeth; baseline about 1 to 3 years) · 18 months (24-month follow-up) Xylitol‐containing products for preventing dental caries in children and adults (2015) · Cochrane | PF 0.53 [0.001, 1.04] | 1 study · 118 participants | Very low |
Endodontic therapy (surgical or non-surgical) performed with the aid of one or more magnification devices (surgical microscope, endoscope or magnifying loupes) vs The same endodontic therapy performed without magnification devices (without visual enhancers) Treatment success (resolution of clinical signs and symptoms with periapical radiographic healing) · Patients of any age who received endodontic therapy and were followed up for at least 1 year after treatment · >=1 year after treatment Magnification devices for endodontic therapy (2015) · Cochrane | None of the studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria and therefore no data analysis was conducted (three potentially eligible trials were identified from 1234 records; all were excluded). | NR | No studies |
EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) Locoregional control · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | HR 0.68 [0.52, 0.89] | 1 study · 424 participants | Moderate |
Cessation of water fluoridation (fluoride removed from the water supply) vs Continued fluoridated water Caries in permanent teeth (DMFS) · People of all ages in a previously fluoridated community (Maupome 2001: children with generally low caries experience) · Follow-up 3 years Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries (2015) · Cochrane | Insufficient evidence to determine the effect of the cessation of water fluoridation on caries. One study (Maupome 2001), at high risk of bias, over 3 years found no increase in caries in the fluoride-ended group… | 1 study · 9249 participants | Very low |
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 40 to 60 months, Skin toxicity (gefitinib, all grades) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.03 [0.82, 1.28] | 2 studies · 286 participants | Ungraded |
Endodontic therapy performed with one type of magnification device (surgical microscope, endoscope or magnifying loupes) vs Endodontic therapy performed with a different type of magnification device Total time required to complete the clinical procedure · Patients of any age who received endodontic therapy and were followed up for at least 1 year after treatment Magnification devices for endodontic therapy (2015) · Cochrane | No included study assessed procedure time. In the excluded trial Taschieri 2008, based on the operators' experience, completing the surgical procedure took on average four to five minutes longer for the endoscope than… | NR | No studies |
Endodontic therapy performed with one type of magnification device (surgical microscope, endoscope or magnifying loupes) vs Endodontic therapy performed with a different type of magnification device Treatment success (resolution of clinical signs and symptoms with periapical radiographic healing) · Patients of any age who received endodontic therapy and were followed up for at least 1 year after treatment · >=1 year after treatment Magnification devices for endodontic therapy (2015) · Cochrane | None of the studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria; the only trial comparing three magnification devices (Taschieri 2008) was excluded, so no data analysis was conducted. | NR | No studies |
Pilocarpine hydrochloride (parasympathomimetic) vs Placebo Adverse effects (side effects; treatment withdrawals) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | Johnson 1993 (5 mg tds): sweating 37%, headache 15%, urinary frequency 14%, vasodilatation 12%, dizziness 10%, dyspepsia 10%, nausea 8%, asthenia 8%, diarrhoea 5%; 6% withdrew at 5 mg tds and 29% at 10 mg tds. LeVeque… | 2 studies · 278 participants | Ungraded |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Normalcy of diet (days of total parenteral nutrition, TPN) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · High-dose melphalan-based treatment prior to HSCT (haematological cancers) Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | MD -2.18 [-4.33, -0.03] | 1 study · 78 participants | Very low |
Pilocarpine hydrochloride (parasympathomimetic) vs Artificial saliva (mucin-based) Other oral symptoms (dysgeusia, dysphagia) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | Davies 1994 assessed dysgeusia and dysphagia; pilocarpine reported more effective than mucin-based artificial saliva for dysgeusia. No pooled data. | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Resin sealant (with or without flossing advice) vs Flossing advice (non-invasive control) Caries (lesion) progression (radiographic) · Dentate children and adults with non-cavitated proximal caries lesions extending into enamel or dentine (not pulp) in… · 12 to 36 months (radiographic follow-up), Resin sealant Micro‐invasive interventions for managing proximal dental decay in primary and permanent teeth (2015) · Cochrane | OR 0.33 [0.18, 0.59] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months, Leukopenia (rIL-2, all grades) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 0.57 [0.22, 1.50] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Fixed-appliance orthodontic treatment incorporating surgically assisted orthodontics (adjunctive surgical procedure: corticotomy, micro-osteoperforation or interseptal bone reduction) to increase the rate of tooth movement vs Conventional treatment: fixed-appliance orthodontic treatment without surgical assistance Patient-reported outcome: pain experience (discomfort) · Individuals of any age receiving orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances (braces) (people requiring orthodontic… · 24 hours to 28 days Surgical adjunctive procedures for accelerating orthodontic treatment (2015) · Cochrane | Results: 'Pain experience was compared between surgical and non‐surgical cases in a single study (Alikhani 2013). Within 24 hours of appliance activation and canine retraction, both groups reported higher levels of… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Single full-coverage metal-ceramic crown over composite core and post vs Direct adhesive composite restoration with post (conventional filling, no crown) Non-catastrophic failure of the restoration (requiring further treatment) · People with a permanent tooth that has undergone endodontic (root canal) treatment · 3 years Single crowns versus conventional fillings for the restoration of root‐filled teeth (2015) · Cochrane | RR 0.33 [0.04, 3.05] | 1 study · 117 participants | Very low |
Barrier techniques (gloves/plasters) vs No treatment Outcome NR · Children with a non-nutritive sucking habit (digit or pacifier) Interventions for the cessation of non‐nutritive sucking habits in children (2015) · Cochrane | There were no studies that looked at barrier techniques or pacifier withdrawal. | 0 studies | No studies |
Sedation (sedative agents administered via any route) vs General anaesthesia Outcome NR · Children and adolescents younger than 18 years having dental treatment (fillings, pulp treatment or tooth extraction);… Sedation versus general anaesthesia for provision of dental treatment to patients younger than 18 years (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Number of days of treatment with opioid analgesics · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · High-dose melphalan-based treatment prior to HSCT (haematological cancers) Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | MD -2.28 [-5.33, 0.77] | 1 study · 78 participants | Very low |
Fixed-appliance orthodontic treatment incorporating surgically assisted orthodontics (adjunctive surgical procedure: corticotomy, micro-osteoperforation or interseptal bone reduction) to increase the rate of tooth movement vs Conventional treatment: fixed-appliance orthodontic treatment without surgical assistance Rate of tooth movement (orthodontic tooth movement in mm at 1 month) · Individuals of any age receiving orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances (braces) (people requiring orthodontic… · 1 month Surgical adjunctive procedures for accelerating orthodontic treatment (2015) · Cochrane | MD 0.61 [0.49, 0.72] | 3 studies · 42 participants | Low |
Down syndrome (trisomy 21) vs Individuals without Down syndrome (healthy controls: siblings, schoolchildren or others) Dental caries (presence vs absence; all teeth, deciduous and permanent) · Individuals of any age (no age limit; ages 1 to 84 years across studies) Association between Dental Caries and Down Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2015) | OR 0.36 [0.22, 0.57] | 2 studies · 314 participants | Ungraded |
Preformed metal crown (fitted using the Hall Technique) vs Non-restorative caries treatment Satisfaction with treatment · Children with decayed primary molar teeth Preformed crowns for decayed primary molar teeth (2015) · Cochrane | Satisfaction with treatment: No evidence available (Summary of findings 2). | 0 studies | No studies |
Xylitol lozenges (4.7 g/day) vs No treatment Number of children with a caries increment · Children (permanent teeth; baseline 8 to 10 years) · 24 months (48-month follow-up) Xylitol‐containing products for preventing dental caries in children and adults (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.02 [0.83, 1.26] | 1 study · 200 participants | Ungraded |
Endodontic therapy performed with one type of magnification device (surgical microscope, endoscope or magnifying loupes) vs Endodontic therapy performed with a different type of magnification device Quality of visualisation of root canal anatomy and morphology · Patients of any age who received endodontic therapy and were followed up for at least 1 year after treatment Magnification devices for endodontic therapy (2015) · Cochrane | No included study assessed this outcome; the review notes that such secondary outcomes were only sporadically reported and were never statistically assessed. | NR | No studies |
Endodontic therapy performed with one type of magnification device (surgical microscope, endoscope or magnifying loupes) vs Endodontic therapy performed with a different type of magnification device Removal of broken (fractured) instruments from the root canal · Patients of any age who received endodontic therapy and were followed up for at least 1 year after treatment Magnification devices for endodontic therapy (2015) · Cochrane | No included study assessed this outcome; the review notes that such secondary outcomes were only sporadically reported and were never statistically assessed. | NR | No studies |
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 40 to 60 months, Gastrointestinal complaints (grades >=3, pooled) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.11 [0.83, 1.49] | 3 studies · 484 participants | Ungraded |
Micro-invasive treatment (proximal sealing or resin infiltration) vs Conventional invasive treatment (restoration / drill and fill) Outcome NR · Dentate children and adults with non-cavitated proximal caries lesions extending into enamel or dentine (not pulp) in… Micro‐invasive interventions for managing proximal dental decay in primary and permanent teeth (2015) · Cochrane | No studies compared micro-invasive treatments with invasive treatment (fillings) | 0 studies | No studies |
Chlorhexidine gel (0.12%) vs No treatment Presence of new caries in the primary teeth · Children and adolescents below 18 years at study start (included studies: children from birth to 15 years), with… · 24 months, primary dentition Chlorhexidine treatment for the prevention of dental caries in children and adolescents (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.00 [0.36, 2.77] | 2 studies · 487 participants | Very low |
Preformed metal crown (fitted using the Hall Technique) vs Preformed metal crown (fitted using a conventional technique) Outcome NR · Children with decayed primary molar teeth Preformed crowns for decayed primary molar teeth (2015) · Cochrane | None of the included studies compared the effectiveness or safety of the Hall Technique versus the conventional technique of fitting a crown. No RCT evidence found. | 0 studies | No studies |
Any intervention for KCOT (e.g. enucleation), alone or combined with an adjunctive therapy (ostectomy, cryotherapy, or Carnoy's solution) vs A different intervention (e.g. enucleation versus marsupialisation), or the same surgical intervention without the adjunctive therapy Outcome NR · Adults over the age of 18 with a validated diagnosis of solitary keratocystic odontogenic tumours (KCOT) arising in… Interventions for the treatment of keratocystic odontogenic tumours (2015) · Cochrane | No randomised controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria were identified. In view of the fact that no studies were identified, no data were available for analysis. | 0 studies | No studies |
Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months, Increased temperature (BCG-CWP, all grades) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 0.67 [0.13, 3.30] | 1 study · 24 participants | Ungraded |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Oral mucositis (severe) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · Fluorouracil (5FU) treatment for solid cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 0.40 [0.27, 0.61] | 5 studies · 444 participants | Moderate |
Chlorhexidine varnish vs Placebo or no treatment Pain, quality of life, patient satisfaction or costs · Children and adolescents below 18 years at study start (included studies: children from birth to 15 years), with… Chlorhexidine treatment for the prevention of dental caries in children and adolescents (2015) · Cochrane | No trials reported on pain, quality of life, patient satisfaction or costs. | 0 studies | No studies |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Normalcy of diet (days of total parenteral nutrition, TPN) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · Fluorouracil (5FU) treatment for solid cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | Summary of findings for the main comparison (5FU solid cancers): Normalcy of diet (days of total parenteral nutrition) - 'No studies assessed this outcome'. | 0 studies | No studies |
Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone Locoregional control · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months, Recombinant interleukin-2 + neoadjuvant chemotherapy (Mantovani 1998), tumour response Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | Response to treatment (Mantovani 1998; neoadjuvant chemotherapy + rIL-2 vs chemotherapy alone): complete response 4/13 vs 3/15; partial response 6/13 vs 9/15. Narrative only; no GRADE rating. | 1 study · 33 participants | Ungraded |
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 40 to 60 months, Skin toxicity (grades >=3, pooled) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.25 [0.54, 2.88] | 4 studies · 544 participants | Ungraded |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Number of days unable to take medicine orally · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · Fluorouracil (5FU) treatment for solid cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | No studies reported the number of days unable to take medicine orally (whole review). | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment Caries increment on permanent whole teeth (D(M)FT), prevented fraction · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger (permanent dentition) · Nearest to 3 years, No-treatment-controlled trials Fluoride gels for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2015) · Cochrane | PF 0.43 [0.29, 0.57] | 6 studies | Ungraded |
Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment Caries increment on primary (deciduous) whole teeth (d(m)ft), prevented fraction · Children with primary (deciduous) teeth (mostly preschool children aged under 6 years) · Nearest to 3 years Fluoride gels for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2015) · Cochrane | There were no data on d(m)ft available. | 0 studies | No studies |
Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) Number of days in hospital (duration of hospitalisation) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment · High-dose melphalan-based treatment prior to HSCT (haematological cancers) Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | MD -1.39 [-2.97, 0.19] | 2 studies · 123 participants | Low |
Breastfeeding vs Bottle feeding Presence of dental caries · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months) Breast and Bottle Feeding as Risk Factors for Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2015) | Four studies showed that bottle fed children had more dental caries (p<0.05), while three studies found no such association (p>0.05); the review concluded that breastfeeding can protect against dental caries in early… | 7 studies | Ungraded |
Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months, Leukopenia (rIL-2, grades >=3) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 0.38 [0.04, 3.26] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Pilocarpine hydrochloride (parasympathomimetic) vs Artificial saliva (mucin-based) Xerostomia (subjective dry mouth; absolute change in VAS score) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | Davies 1994 (cross-over, 20 participants): mean improvement in VAS score 22.5 mm with pilocarpine vs 15.2 mm with artificial saliva (100 mm scale). The improvement was greater with pilocarpine but was not statistically… | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Resin infiltration vs Fluoride varnish, sham/placebo, or flossing advice (non-invasive control) Caries (lesion) progression (radiographic) · Dentate children and adults with non-cavitated proximal caries lesions extending into enamel or dentine (not pulp) in… · 12 to 36 months (radiographic follow-up), Resin infiltration Micro‐invasive interventions for managing proximal dental decay in primary and permanent teeth (2015) · Cochrane | OR 0.19 [0.08, 0.46] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Cessation of water fluoridation (fluoride removed from the water supply) vs Continued fluoridated water Disparities in caries across socioeconomic status (SES) · People of all ages in a previously fluoridated community (Maupome 2001: children with generally low caries experience) Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries (2015) · Cochrane | No evidence to determine the effect of the cessation of water fluoridation on disparities in caries across SES. | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoridated milk vs Non-fluoridated milk Caries in primary teeth: dmft (3 years) · General population, irrespective of age or level of risk for dental caries · 3 years Fluoridated milk for preventing dental caries (2015) · Cochrane | MD -1.14 [-1.86, -0.42] | 1 study · 166 participants | Low |
Preformed metal crown (fitted using the Hall Technique) vs Non-restorative caries treatment Adverse events: gingival bleeding · Children with decayed primary molar teeth · Long term (12 months) Preformed crowns for decayed primary molar teeth (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.09 [0.42, 2.86] | 1 study · 92 participants | Very low |
Preformed crown (any material; conventional technique or Hall Technique) vs Filling (any material; with or without complete carious tissue excavation; with or without pulp treatment) Pain · Children with decayed primary molar teeth · Short term (less than 12 months) Preformed crowns for decayed primary molar teeth (2015) · Cochrane | Short term (less than 12 months): effect not estimable (Analysis 1.2.1; 64 teeth, 32 participants; one study, Hutcheson 2012). | 1 study · 64 participants | Ungraded |
Psychological interventions (positive and negative reinforcement) vs No treatment Sucking cessation (long term) · Children with a non-nutritive sucking habit (digit or pacifier) · Long term (12 months or more) Interventions for the cessation of non‐nutritive sucking habits in children (2015) · Cochrane | RR 6.25 [1.65, 23.65] | 1 study · 57 participants | Ungraded |
EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months, Skin toxicity/acneiform rash (cetuximab, grades >=3) Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | RR 17.72 [8.33, 37.73] | 3 studies · 1403 participants | Ungraded |