What do systematic reviews say?

Mechanical tongue cleaning (tongue scraper) vs No tongue cleaning

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 2 weeks
  Patient-reported OLT score assessed with patient's perception: 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

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

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
  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

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

Toothbrushing + Turkish gall oral rinse vs Toothbrushing alone

Toothbrushing + Turkish gall oral rinse showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with toothbrushing; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  MD -211.47 [-503.58, 80.64]
  1 study · 66 participants
  GRADE not reported

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

Miswak (Salvadora persica) stick vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Miswak (Salvadora persica) stick led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD -0.77 [-1.19, -0.35]
  1 study · 24 participants
  GRADE not reported

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

It is very uncertain whether 0.3% triclosan + PVM/MA + sodium fluoride toothpaste changes dentist-reported breath odour (OLT) score (scale 1 to 9 hedonic) compared with sodium fluoride (control) toothpaste (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 1 week
  MD -3.48 [-3.77, -3.19]
  1 study · 81 participants
  Very low

Subgingival laser irradiation + povidone-iodine vs SRP

Subgingival laser irradiation + povidone-iodine led to higher volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with SRP alone; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  MD 70.0 [63.88, 76.12]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Dual zinc + arginine dentifrice vs Control (regular fluoride) dentifrice

It is very uncertain whether dual zinc + arginine dentifrice changes dentist-reported OLT hedonic rating (scale 1 to 9) compared with control (regular fluoride) dentifrice (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  mean 3 weeks
  MD -2.0 [-2.19, -1.81]
  1 study · 80 participants
  Very low

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

Abrasive candy; abrasive candy + 2% propolis; abrasive candy + 0.5% zinc gluconate vs Abrasive candy + 1% propolis + 0.25% zinc

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Barak 2012 (5-arm RCT) compared abrasive candy, abrasive candy with propolis and abrasive candy with zinc gluconate versus abrasive candy with propolis and zinc; VSC measured by halimeter. We could not use the results…
  1 study
  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

Triclosan dentifrice vs Negative control dentifrice

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Nogueira-Filho 2002 (5-arm trial) compared three commercial 0.3% triclosan dentifrices and an experimental formulation versus a negative control dentifrice; VSC by halimeter. We could not use the results in the…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Toothbrushing + 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash vs Toothbrushing alone

Toothbrushing + 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash led to lower volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), halimeter compared with toothbrushing; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 weeks
  MD -8.04 [-15.87, -0.21]
  1 study · 70 participants
  GRADE not reported

Topical G32 (ayurvedic preparation) vs Chlorhexidine, 0.2% to 2% (solution or gel)

Topical G32 (ayurvedic preparation) showed no clear difference in volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) compared with chlorhexidine digluconate 1% gel; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD 0.05 [-0.28, 0.38]
  1 study · 40 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

Chlorine dioxide mouthrinse (with tongue scraping) vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash (with tongue scraping)

Chlorine dioxide mouthrinse (with tongue scraping) showed no clear difference in VSC: third component compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash (with tongue scraping); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 week
  MD 22.8 [-33.18, 78.78]
  1 study · 22 participants
  GRADE not reported

Sesame oil vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Asokan 2011 (2-arm trial) compared sesame oil versus chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash (OLT and BANA test). We could not include the results in the meta-analysis because they did not report post-intervention OLT score and P…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported