Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

1,348 questions · 1,514 findings · 111 reviews · All outcomes

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No studies found 287 · 19%GRADE not reported 823 · 54.4%Very low 243 · 16.1%Low 104 · 6.9%Moderate 49 · 3.2%High 8 · 0.5%

Analgesic (any: NSAID, paracetamol, local anaesthetic or opioid) vs placebo or control

Time off school or work · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No studies in this comparison reported this outcome.
0 studies
No studies found

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

Other oral related symptoms (oral discomfort, eating difficulty, mucosal pain, oral complications) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of RT
Insufficient evidence of a difference: oral discomfort MD -18.00 (95% CI -37.41 to 1.41); eating difficulties MD -14.40 (95% CI -35.38 to 6.58); mucosal pain MD -14.80 (95% CI -37.07 to 7.47); oral complications RR…
2 studies
GRADE not reported

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray vs placebo

Adverse events · Adults with cancer receiving treatment

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Adverse events narratively reported; no serious events attributed to EGF (not GRADE-rated)
2 studies
GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs placebo

Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No statistical difference between groups in bethanechol-related toxicity; no patient experienced severe (grade 3) toxicity (Jaguar 2015)
1 study
GRADE not reported

Antiseptic mouthrinse vs placebo

Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No relevant adverse events were reported in any group (Lanzos 2010)
1 study
GRADE not reported

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

Interruptions to cancer treatment (unscheduled radiotherapy breaks of 5 or more days) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… showed no clear difference in interruptions to cancer treatment (unscheduled radiotherapy breaks… compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
RT to head and neck with cisplatin/fluorouracil
RR 1.01 [0.65, 1.59]
3 studies · 473 participants
GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs placebo

Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-3 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Bethanechol led to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-3 scale) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of RT
RR 0.43 [0.28, 0.66]
1 study · 84 participants
GRADE not reported
Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Up to and including 3 months postRT
RR 0.81 [0.65, 1.01]
1 study · 84 participants
GRADE not reported

Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, alone or with antimicrobials) vs Alternative (less intensive) periodontal treatment, alone or with placebo

Maternal death · Pregnant women considered to have periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) after dental examination

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Treating periodontal disease for preventing adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Maternal mortality: Not reported for this comparison.
0 studies
No studies found

Bethanechol vs placebo

Salivary flow rate (stimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Bethanechol showed no clear difference in salivary flow rate (stimulated, ml/min) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
2 months postRT
MD 0.15 [-0.03, 0.33]
1 study · 97 participants
GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

Salivary flow rate (stimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Any time point
No evidence of a difference between treatment groups for stimulated salivary flow at any time point (Analysis 1.5)
8 studies
GRADE not reported

Zinc vs placebo

Taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - taste recognition (cross-over trial) · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal failure)

It is very uncertain whether zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… changes taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - taste… compared with placebo (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
6 months · Children with chronic renal failure
MD 3.00 [0.66, 5.34]
1 study · 14 participants
Very low

Amifostine vs no treatment/placebo

Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

It is very uncertain whether amifostine changes overall survival compared with no treatment/placebo (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
12 to 24 months postRT
HR 1.18 [0.85, 1.66]
2 studies · 271 participants
Very low

Bethanechol vs placebo

Salivary flow rate (unstimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Bethanechol led to higher salivary flow rate (unstimulated, ml/min) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
2 months postRT
MD 0.19 [0.06, 0.32]
1 study · 97 participants
GRADE not reported

Antimicrobial lozenge vs placebo

Survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No survival data were reported.
0 studies
No studies found

Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs placebo

Survival (locoregional control) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Unable to use the data on locoregional control (Grotz 2001)
1 study
GRADE not reported

Analgesic (any: NSAID, paracetamol, local anaesthetic or opioid) vs placebo or control

Adverse events · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No studies in this comparison reported any adverse events. SoF cell: 'Not reported'.
0 studies
No studies found

Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, alone or with antimicrobials) vs Alternative (less intensive) periodontal treatment, alone or with placebo

Gingival index (GI) · Pregnant women considered to have periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) after dental examination

Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, alone or with… showed no clear difference in gingival index compared with alternative (less intensive) periodontal treatment, alone or with…; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Treating periodontal disease for preventing adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
MD -28.00 [-144.13, 88.13]
1 study · 53 participants
GRADE not reported

Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, alone or with antimicrobials) vs Alternative (less intensive) periodontal treatment, alone or with placebo

Adverse effects of therapy · Pregnant women considered to have periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) after dental examination

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Treating periodontal disease for preventing adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Adverse effects of therapy: Not reported for this comparison.
0 studies
No studies found

Zinc vs placebo

Health‐related quality of life · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal failure)

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Results (health-related quality of life): None of the studies reported data on health-related quality of life. Heckmann 2005 (zinc) reported that signs of depression were less severe (Beck Depression Inventory P<0.05;…
1 study
GRADE not reported

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

Oral mucositis (severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… may leads to lower oral mucositis (severe) compared with placebo (low certainty).

3 findings from 1 review

Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Chemotherapy alone for mixed cancers
RR 0.30 [0.14, 0.65]
3 studies · 263 participants
Low
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
RR 0.85 [0.65, 1.11]
6 studies · 852 participants
Low
Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
RT to head and neck with cisplatin/fluorouracil
RR 0.79 [0.69, 0.90]
3 studies · 471 participants
High