What do systematic reviews say?

Oral hygiene knowledge and practices assessment vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)

Oral hygiene knowledge and practices among UAE children and adolescents were generally suboptimal and variable across studies, with better practices among females (narrative synthesis; not GRADE-rated).

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  UAE; schools/nurseries (Sharjah, Ajman; national survey)
  Suboptimal oral hygiene practices were common. Kowash reported 63% poor oral hygiene among preschoolers (58% never/rarely brushing). In a national survey (Pengpid et al.), tooth brushing less than once daily was 46.1%…
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Oral appliance or functional orthopaedic appliance vs placebo or no treatment

It is very uncertain whether oral appliance or functional orthopaedic appliance changes daytime symptom: oral breathing (questionnaire) compared with placebo or no treatment (very low certainty).

• Oral appliances and functional orthopaedic appliances for obstructive sleep apnoea in children 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  RR 0.16 [0.04, 0.59]
  1 study · 23 participants
  Very low

Visual examination (VE) vs Reference standard: examination and clinical evaluation by a physician/clinician with specialist knowledge or training (long-term follow-up accepted for those screened negative)

• Clinical assessment for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in apparently healthy… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Summary of findings 1 (no pooled analysis): for the 7 low-prevalence studies specificity ranged from 0.94 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.97) to 0.99 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.00); for the 3 higher-prevalence studies specificity ranged from…
  10 studies · 25568 participants
  Low

Visual examination (VE) vs Reference standard: examination and clinical evaluation by a physician/clinician with specialist knowledge or training (long-term follow-up accepted for those screened negative)

• Clinical assessment for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in apparently healthy… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Summary of findings 1 (no pooled analysis): for the 7 studies with low prevalence (<=10%) sensitivity ranged from 0.50 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.93) to 0.99 (95% CI 0.97 to 1.00); for the 3 higher-prevalence studies…
  10 studies · 25568 participants
  Low

Oral health knowledge, attitudes and practices assessment vs None (descriptive prevalence review; subgroup analyses by urban/rural status, country and year)

Mothers and caregivers often had adequate knowledge/attitudes but improper oral-health practices and low dental-service use, associated with education and occupation (narrative synthesis; not GRADE-rated).

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  UAE; Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah; day care centers
  Mahmoud et al. found Sharjah mothers had higher-than-average knowledge and excellent attitudes but mostly improper practices and low dental-service utilization; knowledge/practices were associated with mothers'…
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Oral care vs No oral care

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral care measures for preventing nursing home‐acquired pneumonia 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies evaluated oral care versus no oral care.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Chlorhexidine (mouthrinse or gel), as part of oral hygiene care vs placebo or usual care

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral hygiene care for critically ill patients to prevent ventilator‐associated pneumonia 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  The outcome of caregivers' preferences was not reported by any study in this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Chlorhexidine (mouthrinse or gel), as part of oral hygiene care vs placebo or usual care

• Oral hygiene care for critically ill patients to prevent ventilator‐associated pneumonia 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Plaque index: Fu 2019 found a significant reduction in the chlorhexidine group; Ozcaka 2012 and Scannapieco 2009 found no difference; 3 studies; no usable pooled estimate.
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Integrated Chinese and Western medicine (incl. oral prednisone) vs Western medicine (incl. oral prednisone)

• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Xu 2002: benefit favouring integrated Chinese and Western medicine, just attained statistical significance (very low-certainty; high risk of bias)
  1 study
  Very low

Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers vs No screening

Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers showed no clear difference in oral cancer mortality (disease-specific) compared with no screening (low certainty).

• Screening programmes for the early detection and prevention of oral cancer 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  15-year follow-up
  RR 0.88 [0.69, 1.12]
  1 study · 191873 participants
  Low

Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers vs No screening

Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers showed no clear difference in oral cancer incidence compared with no screening; GRADE not reported.

• Screening programmes for the early detection and prevention of oral cancer 2013 · Cochrane All outcomes

  15-year follow-up
  RR 1.14 [0.91, 1.44]
  1 study · 191873 participants
  GRADE not reported

Autism spectrum disorder vs Healthy school-aged children (for some measures)

Two studies found high caries (77%) and gingivitis and considerable oral-care challenges among children with autism spectrum disorder, with low restorative indices (narrative synthesis; not GRADE-rated).

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  Dubai, UAE
  Jaber et al. reported dental caries in 77% of children with ASD (mean dmft 2.2 in early mixed dentition), gingivitis in all children (generalized 70.4%), mostly poor oral hygiene (59%), and low met-need/restorative…
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Remote screening of the oral cavity (mobile application/telemedicine) vs Reference standard: examination and clinical evaluation by a physician/clinician with specialist knowledge or training (long-term follow-up accepted for those screened negative)

• Clinical assessment for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in apparently healthy… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Summary of findings 4 (no pooled analysis): specificity 0.99 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.00), 1.00 (95% CI 0.91 to 1.00), and 0.72 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.80) across the 3 studies. Certainty VERY LOW.
  3 studies · 3600 participants
  Very low

Remote screening of the oral cavity (mobile application/telemedicine) vs Reference standard: examination and clinical evaluation by a physician/clinician with specialist knowledge or training (long-term follow-up accepted for those screened negative)

• Clinical assessment for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in apparently healthy… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Summary of findings 4 (no pooled analysis): sensitivity 0.85 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.88), 0.82 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.96), and 0.94 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.00) across the 3 studies. Prevalence 12.2% to 30.9%. Certainty VERY LOW.
  3 studies · 3600 participants
  Very low

Toothbrushing (with or without antiseptics), as part of oral hygiene care vs No toothbrushing (with or without antiseptics)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral hygiene care for critically ill patients to prevent ventilator‐associated pneumonia 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  The outcome of caregivers' preferences was not reported by any study in this comparison.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Toothbrushing (with or without antiseptics), as part of oral hygiene care vs No toothbrushing (with or without antiseptics)

• Oral hygiene care for critically ill patients to prevent ventilator‐associated pneumonia 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Plaque score: one study (Yao 2011) showed evidence of reduced plaque in the toothbrushing group; no usable pooled estimate.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Prison-nursery setting / incarcerated-mother household (oral health status) vs Counterparts (community children)

One study found high caries (89.8%) and poor oral hygiene with low restorative care among preschool children of incarcerated mothers (narrative synthesis; not GRADE-rated).

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  UAE prison nurseries
  Al Salami et al. reported caries prevalence of 89.8% (mean dmft 4.97) among preschool children of incarcerated mothers, similar to their counterparts, but worse oral hygiene, higher debris/plaque (93.8% vs 81.8%) and…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Special health care needs vs None (descriptive; compared across disability types)

One study found very high caries (85.2%) and high unmet treatment needs among children with special healthcare needs, varying by disability type (narrative synthesis; not GRADE-rated).

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
  Alkhabuli et al. (Ras Al Khaimah) reported a high caries prevalence (85.2%) and high mean dmft/DMFT (5.67) among children with special healthcare needs. About two-thirds had good oral hygiene (highest in autism 100%,…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs High-dose leucovorin rinse

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Oral mucositis (severe). Not estimable - no participants had developed severe oral mucositis by the fourth day after chemotherapy when the data were reported (Zhang 2011, Analysis 4.3, subgroup 3.2); 81 participants in…
  1 study · 81 participants
  GRADE not reported

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Low-dose leucovorin rinse

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Oral mucositis (severe). Not estimable - no participants had developed severe oral mucositis by the fourth day after chemotherapy when the data were reported (Zhang 2011, Analysis 4.3, subgroup 3.1); 118 participants…
  1 study · 118 participants
  GRADE not reported