What do systematic reviews say?

Low‐level laser therapy vs Povidone

Laser (low level) led to lower oral mucositis (severe) compared with povidone; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.02 [0, 0.31]
  1 study · 50 participants
  GRADE not reported

Acyclovir vs placebo

Acyclovir showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (any severity) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 1.33 [0.85, 2.08]
  1 study · 57 participants
  GRADE not reported

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) spray vs Placebo (spray base without CMC / water)

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Patient preference evenly split between CMC spray and spray base.
  1 study · 15 participants
  GRADE not reported

Cryotherapy (ice chips) 30 minutes vs Cryotherapy (ice chips) 60 minutes

Cryotherapy (ice chips) 30 minutes showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with cryotherapy (ice chips) 60 minutes; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.6 [0.23, 1.58]
  1 study · 178 participants
  GRADE not reported

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) vs placebo

Superoxide dismutase showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (any severity) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 1.17 [0.78, 1.75]
  1 study · 159 participants
  GRADE not reported

Histamine gel vs placebo

Histamine gel showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.95 [0.15, 6.08]
  1 study · 39 participants
  GRADE not reported

Salinum (linseed) mouthwash vs Salinum plus chlorhexidine mouthwash

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Johansson 2001 (crossover, n=33, Sjogren's syndrome): both products improved oral dryness and chewing/swallowing; Salinum alone reduced speaking problems and burning mouth. Paired data not accounted for; no usable…
  1 study · 33 participants
  GRADE not reported

Intraoral device releasing Biotene Oral Balance gel vs Manually administered bolus of the same gel

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No difference between device and bolus in unstimulated whole saliva, oral microbial profile or generalised inflammation.
  1 study · 22 participants
  GRADE not reported

Mucin spray (Saliva Orthana) vs Placebo spray (base without mucin)

Mucin spray (Saliva Orthana) led to lower improvement in dry mouth (dichotomous) compared with placebo spray (base without mucin); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Sweeney 1997 (parallel, n=31, terminal cancer): both sprays improved dry mouth symptoms but no statistically significant difference between mucin spray and placebo for improved dry mouth (Analysis 1.1; RR not…
  1 study · 31 participants
  GRADE not reported

Camomile vs placebo

Camomile showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.63 [0.33, 1.22]
  1 study · 164 participants
  GRADE not reported

Chinese herbal medicines vs Control (Dobell's solution)

Chinese herbs (medicine) led to lower oral mucositis (any severity) compared with control (Dobell's solution); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.44 [0.2, 0.95]
  1 study · 147 participants
  GRADE not reported

Commercial mouthcare system (Biotene Oral Balance / Xerostom) vs Bioxtra mouthcare system

Biotene Oral Balance mouthcare system led to higher xerostomia (VAS mouth dryness) compared with bioxtra mouthcare system; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SMD 0.69 [0.08, 1.30]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte GF 50 mg vs Keratinocyte GF 25 mg

Keratinocyte GF 50 mg showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with keratinocyte GF 25 mg; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.78 [0.4, 1.49]
  1 study · 28 participants
  GRADE not reported

OASIS moisturising mouthwash vs Experimental mouthwash formulation

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Shirodaria 2006 (crossover): OASIS reported to give a statistically significant improvement over subjects' normal remedies, but the report did not present the randomised OASIS-versus-experimental comparison; no data…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte GF 50 mg vs Keratinocyte GF 25 mg

Keratinocyte GF 50 mg showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with keratinocyte GF 25 mg; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.33 [0.04, 2.83]
  1 study · 28 participants
  GRADE not reported

V6 chewing gum / mucin chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Aagaard 1992 (crossover, n=43): approximately 50% of participants had an increase in unstimulated whole saliva from all products; unclear how many completed the trial; no usable data.
  1 study · 43 participants
  GRADE not reported

V6 chewing gum / mucin chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Preference favoured mucin gum (61%) over V6 (21%) and placebo (5%).
  1 study · 43 participants
  GRADE not reported

Chlorhexidine vs Cryotherapy (ice chips) 60 minutes

Chlorhexidine showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with cryotherapy (ice chips); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 1.16 [0.46, 2.92]
  1 study · 133 participants
  GRADE not reported

Chinese herbal medicines vs Control (Dobell's solution)

Chinese herbs (medicine) showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with control (Dobell's solution); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.09 [0, 1.51]
  1 study · 147 participants
  GRADE not reported

CMC/sorbitol pre-moistened swabs vs Lemon glycerin swabs

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Patient preference favoured CMC/sorbitol (Chi2 10.89, df=1; P = 0.001).
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported