What do systematic reviews say?

Dexamethasone + nystatin + curcumin (adjunctive) vs Dexamethasone + nystatin + placebo

• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Amirchaghmaghi 2016: no difference in clinical resolution with vs without curcumin (very low-certainty)
  1 study
  Very low

0.1% chlorine dioxide mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

0.1% chlorine dioxide mouthwash may leads to lower dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with placebo mouthwash (low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 weeks
  MD -0.61 [-0.73, -0.49]
  1 study · 47 participants
  Low

Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 tablets vs placebo (3 tablets/4 times a day

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Suzuki 2014 (cross-over RCT) compared Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 tablets versus placebo tablets (OLT and VSC by gas chromatography). The trial did not give usable data and we could not extract data from the graph.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Green tea mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Green tea mouthwash showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  28 days
  MD -57.39 [-184.63, 69.85]
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 4 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

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with placebo chewing gum; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD 0.0 [-0.21, 0.21]
  1 study · 65 participants
  GRADE not reported

Lemongrass oil mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Lemongrass oil mouthwash led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  8 days
  MD -26.66 [-43.39, -9.93]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

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

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  28 days
  MD -1.64 [-5.77, 2.49]
  1 study · 18 participants
  GRADE not reported

Chlorhexidine + zinc acetate mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 months
  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

1000 mg champignon extract vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether 1000 mg champignon extract changes patient-reported visual analogue scale (VAS) score (scale 0 to 100) compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  MD -1.07 [-14.51, 12.37]
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low

0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 4 weeks
  Patient-reported OLT score: listed in the Summary of findings table but no data reported. No data were reported for patient-reported OLT score.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Essential oil mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Essential oil mouthwash showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -5.13 [-32.94, 22.68]
  1 study · 45 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Garcia 2014 (2-arm RCT) compared essential oil mouthwash versus placebo mouthwash (VSC by halimeter). We could not include the results in the meta-analysis because of the missing SD and P value.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -20.04 [-37.71, -2.37]
  1 study · 47 participants
  GRADE not reported

Hinokitiol gel vs Placebo gel

It is very uncertain whether hinokitiol gel changes dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) compared with placebo gel (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 4 weeks
  MD -0.27 [-1.26, 0.72]
  1 study · 18 participants
  Very low

1000 mg champignon extract vs placebo

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

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -1.74 [-15.52, 12.04]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

1000 mg champignon extract vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 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

Chlorine dioxide + zinc mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

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

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  MD -0.17 [-0.59, 0.25]
  1 study · 41 participants
  Very low

Benzethonium chloride mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

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

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  9 days
  MD 7.2 [-24.92, 39.32]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

0.05% chlorhexidine + 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride + 0.14% zinc lactate mouthrinse vs Placebo mouthwash

Halita mouthwash (chlorhexidine 0.05% + cetylpyridinium chloride… led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with placebo mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -188.0 [-308.29, -67.71]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

0.05% chlorhexidine + 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride + 0.14% zinc lactate mouthrinse vs Placebo mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  Adverse events (Table 6). Risk with placebo mouthwash: None reported. Risk with halita mouthwash: tongue staining was seen in patients who gargled, rather than rinsed. 40 participants (1 RCT). Certainty: VERY LOW.
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low