What do systematic reviews say?

Topical thalidomide vs Another topical agent or placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Topical treatments for HIV‐related oral ulcers 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6…
  0 studies
  No studies found

Traditional screening with motivation (oral health education and offer of free treatment) vs Traditional screening

It is very uncertain whether traditional screening with motivation (oral health education and… changes dental attendance compared with traditional screening alone (very low certainty).

• School dental screening programmes for oral health 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 months
  RR 3.08 [2.57, 3.71]
  1 study · 2486 participants
  Very low

Traditional screening (referral card given if the inspecting dentist judges the child needs to see a dentist) vs No screening

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• School dental screening programmes for oral health 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Proportion of children with other treated/untreated oral health need: Not reported (Summary of findings 1).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 24-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral health knowledge (1-9 scale) compared with clinical examination with 24-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.01 [-0.05, 0.03]
  1 study · 303 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 24-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral health attitudes (1-7 scale) compared with clinical examination with 24-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.02 [-0.20, 0.16]
  1 study · 304 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 24-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral health behaviour (1-9 scale) compared with clinical examination with 24-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD 0.01 [-0.02, 0.04]
  1 study · 304 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral health behaviour (1-9 scale) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD 0.00 [-0.01, 0.01]
  1 study · 1608 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with 24-month recall showed no clear difference in oral health attitudes (1-7 scale) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD 0.17 [-0.01, 0.35]
  1 study · 308 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral health attitudes (1-7 scale) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD 0.04 [-0.04, 0.12]
  1 study · 1607 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with 24-month recall showed no clear difference in oral-health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall (high certainty).

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.24 [-1.55, 1.07]
  1 study · 305 participants
  High

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 24-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral-health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) compared with clinical examination with 24-month recall (high certainty).

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.37 [-1.69, 0.95]
  1 study · 298 participants
  High

Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with 24-month recall showed no clear difference in oral health behaviour (1-9 scale) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD 0.00 [-0.03, 0.03]
  1 study · 308 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 12-month recall

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 years
  Summary of findings 1 lists 'Oral-health-related quality of life: Not reported' for the 24-month versus 12-month comparison (Wang 1992 did not measure it).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral-health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall (high certainty).

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.35 [-1.02, 0.32]
  1 study · 1551 participants
  High

Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with risk-based recall showed no clear difference in oral health knowledge (1-9 scale) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.01 [-0.03, 0.01]
  1 study · 1604 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall

Clinical examination with 24-month recall showed no clear difference in oral health knowledge (1-9 scale) compared with clinical examination with 6-month recall; GRADE not reported.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 years
  MD -0.01 [-0.05, 0.03]
  1 study · 308 participants
  GRADE not reported

A 10-minute film followed by the same 30-minute one-to-one hygienist instruction on sugar consumption and dental health, plus oral hygiene, fluoride and regular visits (a multi-intervention) vs No special instructions (control)

• One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 12 months
  Table 3, mean (SD) sugar consumption (1-5 scale): film-plus-instruction group 3.53 (1.27) at baseline to 3.06 (1.12) at follow-up (significant versus baseline); control 2.89 (0.99) to 2.88 (1.27). Results judged…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

30 minutes of one-to-one instruction by a dental hygienist covering the relationship between sugar consumption and dental health, plus oral hygiene, fluoride and regular dental visits (a multi-intervention) vs No special instructions (control)

• One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 12 months
  Table 3, mean (SD) sugar consumption (1-5 scale): instruction group 3.41 (1.50) at baseline to 3.58 (1.07) at follow-up (significant versus baseline); control 2.89 (0.99) to 2.88 (1.27). The review judges the results…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

One type of dental check-up (e.g. examination plus scale and polish) vs A different type of dental check-up (e.g. examination only) at the same fixed recall interval

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies identified comparing different check-up types at the same fixed recall interval.
  0 studies
  No studies found

No recall interval / patient-driven attendance vs A fixed recall interval

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies identified comparing no-recall/patient-driven attendance with a fixed recall interval.
  0 studies
  No studies found