What do systematic reviews say?

Primary school-based behavioural intervention (both oral hygiene and dietary components) vs No treatment (or delayed treatment)

• Primary school‐based behavioural interventions for preventing caries 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Worthington 2001 reported children's brushing frequency: almost all children (99%) at baseline reported twice daily brushing, and this level was maintained across all groups throughout the intervention (in baseline…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Fluoride varnish vs placebo or no treatment

• Fluoride varnishes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  At least 1 year
  PF 0.43 [0.30, 0.57]
  13 studies · 6478 participants
  Moderate

Intraoral distalising appliance vs Headgear (extraoral appliance)

Intraoral distalising appliance may leads to higher change in overjet (mm) compared with headgear (extraoral appliance) (low certainty).

• Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  MD 1.64 [1.26, 2.02]
  2 studies · 70 participants
  Low

Intraoral distalising appliance vs Headgear (extraoral appliance)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Number of attendances required to complete treatment was not reported by these studies.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Interdental brushing plus toothbrushing vs Toothbrushing alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interdental brushing for the prevention and control of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Not estimable. No included study assessed periodontitis as an outcome. (See comment)
  0 studies
  No studies found

Intraoral distalising appliance vs Another (different) intraoral distalising appliance

• Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SoF table 3. Assumed risk "Not estimated"; Corresponding risk "Not estimated"; Relative effect "Meta-analysis not appropriate". Quality: very low. Comment: "No pooled estimate due to different types of appliances used…
  2 studies · 70 participants
  Very low

Intraoral distalising appliance vs Another (different) intraoral distalising appliance

• Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SoF table 3. Assumed risk "Not estimated"; Corresponding risk "Not estimated"; Relative effect "Meta-analysis not appropriate". Quality: very low. Comment: "No pooled estimate due to different types of appliances used…
  2 studies · 70 participants
  Very low

Interdental brushing plus toothbrushing vs Toothbrushing alone

It is very uncertain whether interdental brushing plus toothbrushing changes plaque (Quigley & Hein plaque index, Turesky modification; scale 0… compared with toothbrushing alone (very low certainty).

• Interdental brushing for the prevention and control of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks (1 month)
  MD -0.95 [-1.34, -0.56]
  1 study · 62 participants
  Very low

Orthodontic distalising appliance (intraoral or extraoral) vs no intervention

• Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SoF table 1 (orthodontic appliance vs untreated control). Illustrative comparative risks: Assumed risk (untreated control) "Not estimated"; Corresponding risk (orthodontic appliance) "Not estimated"; Relative effect…
  2 studies · 74 participants
  Low

Orthodontic distalising appliance (intraoral or extraoral) vs no intervention

• Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SoF table 1. Assumed risk "Not estimated"; Corresponding risk "Not estimated"; Relative effect "Meta-analysis not appropriate". Comment: "No pooled estimate due to different types of appliances (First Class and…
  2 studies · 74 participants
  Low

Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers vs No screening

• Screening programmes for the early detection and prevention of oral cancer 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  5-year survival
  A significantly higher five-year survival rate was reported in the screened group (55.5%) compared to the control (43.4%) (P value = 0.003).
  1 study · 523 participants
  GRADE not reported

Triclosan/copolymer-containing fluoride toothpaste vs Fluoride toothpaste without triclosan

Triclosan/copolymer-containing fluoride toothpaste showed no clear difference in periodontitis at 36 months (attachment loss > 0 mm) compared with fluoride toothpaste without triclosan (low certainty).

• Triclosan/copolymer containing toothpastes for oral health 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  36 months
  RR 0.92 [0.67, 1.27]
  1 study · 480 participants
  Low

Fluoride varnish vs placebo or no treatment

• Fluoride varnishes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  At least 1 year · Primary/deciduous dentition
  PF 0.37 [0.24, 0.51]
  10 studies · 3804 participants
  Moderate

Interdental brushing plus toothbrushing vs Flossing plus toothbrushing

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interdental brushing for the prevention and control of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Not estimable. No included study assessed clinical attachment loss, a measure of progression of periodontitis. (See comment)
  0 studies
  No studies found

Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with MTAD final rinse vs Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with normal saline final rinse

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found

Extraction of the primary maxillary canine vs no intervention

• Extraction of primary (baby) teeth for unerupted palatally displaced permanent canine teeth in children 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  At least 6 months follow-up after the intervention
  Time to eruption of the permanent canine was reported by both trials. The paper reports there was 'no significant difference between the two interceptive approaches in the time required for canine eruption' (extraction…
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with EDTA 17% vs Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with MTAD

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found

Individually designed, patient-centred preventive programme: dietary counselling (snacking timing, regular meals, fermentable carbohydrates) plus toothbrushing counselling, delivered by trained dental hygienists (a multi-intervention) vs Basic prevention offered as standard in public dental clinics

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

  2 to 4 years
  Table 2: 52% (130) versus 53% (131) at follow-up (baseline 41% versus 44%). No significant change.
  1 study · 497 participants
  GRADE not reported

Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with EDTA 17% vs Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with MTAD

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2.5% to 5.25% vs Sodium hypochlorite 1%

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found