What do systematic reviews say?

Benzethonium chloride mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Benzethonium chloride mouthwash showed no clear difference in VSC: hydrogen sulphide compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  9 days
  MD -125.1 [-286.32, 36.12]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Benzethonium chloride mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Benzethonium chloride mouthwash showed no clear difference in VSC: dimethyl sulphide compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  9 days
  MD -0.03 [-0.63, 0.57]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Toothbrushing + 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Toothbrushing alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 weeks
  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

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Chlorhexidine + zinc mouthwash

It is very uncertain whether cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash changes dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with chlorhexidine + zinc mouthwash (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  MD -0.33 [-0.72, 0.06]
  1 study · 44 participants
  Very low

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

Toothbrushing + Turkish gall oral rinse vs Toothbrushing alone

Toothbrushing + Turkish gall oral rinse showed no clear difference in dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with toothbrushing; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -0.1 [-0.5, 0.3]
  1 study · 66 participants
  GRADE not reported

Essential oil mouthwash vs Placebo 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 · 45 participants
  GRADE not reported

Lactobacillus beta lactoperoxidase (LPO) tablets vs placebo (3 tablets/4 times a day

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Nakano 2017 (2-arm trial) compared Lactobacillus beta LPO tablets versus placebo tablets (VSC by OralChroma). The trial did not report any usable data and hence could not be included in the analysis.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Triphala and Ela decoction mouthwash vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

It is very uncertain whether triphala and Ela decoction mouthwash changes dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  MD 0.2 [0.09, 0.31]
  1 study · 60 participants
  Very low

Triclosan/copolymer-containing fluoride toothpaste vs Sodium fluoride (control) toothpaste

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 1 week
  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

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

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

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  28 days
  MD -2.13 [-5.33, 1.08]
  1 study · 18 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

Halita mouthrinse vs Perio-plus mouthrinse

It is very uncertain whether halita mouthrinse changes dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with perio-plus mouthrinse (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 8 days
  MD -0.2 [-0.86, 0.46]
  1 study · 36 participants
  Very low

1000 mg champignon extract vs 50 mg champignon extract

1000 mg champignon extract showed no clear difference in patient's family member-reported VAS score (scale 0 to 100) compared with 50 mg champignon extract; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -0.61 [-15.58, 14.36]
  1 study · 40 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

Toothbrushing + tongue cleaning with a tooth-and-tongue gel (amine/stannous fluoride + zinc lactate) vs Toothbrushing with reference toothpaste (with or without tongue cleaning)

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Wilhelm 2012 (3-arm cross-over trial) compared toothbrushing with a reference toothpaste, with reference toothpaste plus tongue cleaning, and toothbrushing plus tongue cleaning with a tooth-and-tongue gel (OLT, VSC,…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs placebo

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (mean worst ability to eat, 1 to 4 scale) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers
  MD -0.50 [-1.21, 0.21]
  1 study · 42 participants
  GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs Artificial saliva

Bethanechol showed no clear difference in xerostomia (dry mouth, yes/no) compared with artificial saliva; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  8 to 40 weeks postRT
  RR 0.56 [0.30, 1.05]
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  End of RT
  RR 0.63 [0.30, 1.29]
  1 study · 36 participants
  GRADE not reported

G‐CSF vs placebo or no treatment

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) showed no clear difference in interruptions to cancer treatment (radiotherapy interruptions) compared with placebo or no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  RT to head and neck
  RR 0.22 [0.01, 4.31]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), mouthwash vs Sucralfate mouthwash

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), mouthwash showed no clear difference in interruptions to cancer treatment compared with sucralfate mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  RT to head and neck
  RR 0.13 [0.01, 2.36]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported