Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

292 questions · 331 findings · 39 reviews

No studies found 48 · 14.5%GRADE not reported 150 · 45.3%Very low 81 · 24.5%Low 24 · 7.3%Moderate 19 · 5.7%High 9 · 2.7%

1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish vs 38% SDF solution (applied annually)

Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces (permanent teeth)

1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish may not differ from 38% SDF solution (applied annually) for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.14 to 5.6; very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish vs 5,000-ppm F (1.1% NaF) toothpaste or gel

Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces (permanent teeth)

1% chlorhexidine + 1% thymol varnish may not differ from 5,000-ppm F (1.1% NaF) toothpaste or gel for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.15 to 2.7; very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in conjunction with mechanical oral hygiene procedures vs Placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral hygiene alone); controls pooled (protocol's separate comparisons versus mechanical oral hygiene alone and versus placebo/control merged)

Supragingival calculus formation (various calculus indices) · Children or adults with gingivitis or periodontitis capable of performing normal mechanical oral hygiene procedures (some with medical…

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in… showed no clear difference in supragingival calculus formation (various calculus indices) compared with placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral…; GRADE not reported.

3 findings from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in conjunction with mechanical oral hygiene procedures vs Placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral hygiene alone); controls pooled (protocol's separate comparisons versus mechanical oral hygiene alone and versus placebo/control merged)

Gingivitis · Children or adults with gingivitis or periodontitis capable of performing normal mechanical oral hygiene procedures (some with medical…

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in… leads to lower gingivitis (gingival inflammation) measured by Gingival Index of Loe… compared with placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral… (high certainty).

2 findings from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in conjunction with mechanical oral hygiene procedures vs Placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral hygiene alone); controls pooled (protocol's separate comparisons versus mechanical oral hygiene alone and versus placebo/control merged)

Gingival bleeding (various bleeding indices) · Children or adults with gingivitis or periodontitis capable of performing normal mechanical oral hygiene procedures (some with medical…

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in… led to lower gingival bleeding (various bleeding indices) compared with placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral…; GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in conjunction with mechanical oral hygiene procedures vs Placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral hygiene alone); controls pooled (protocol's separate comparisons versus mechanical oral hygiene alone and versus placebo/control merged)

Plaque · Children or adults with gingivitis or periodontitis capable of performing normal mechanical oral hygiene procedures (some with medical…

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in… leads to lower dental plaque (various plaque indices) compared with placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral… (high certainty).

2 findings from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in conjunction with mechanical oral hygiene procedures vs Placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral hygiene alone); controls pooled (protocol's separate comparisons versus mechanical oral hygiene alone and versus placebo/control merged)

Other adverse effects (taste disturbance, oral mucosal effects, burning sensation) · Children or adults with gingivitis or periodontitis capable of performing normal mechanical oral hygiene procedures (some with medical…
1 finding from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in conjunction with mechanical oral hygiene procedures vs Placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral hygiene alone); controls pooled (protocol's separate comparisons versus mechanical oral hygiene alone and versus placebo/control merged)

Extrinsic tooth staining (various staining indices) · Children or adults with gingivitis or periodontitis capable of performing normal mechanical oral hygiene procedures (some with medical…

Chlorhexidine mouthrinse (any concentration; 0.05% to 0.2%) used in… led to higher extrinsic tooth staining (various staining indices) compared with placebo/control mouthrinse, or no mouthrinse (mechanical oral…; GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Chlorhexidine gel (0.2%, intrasocket) vs placebo or no treatment

Adverse events · Adults (>18 years) having permanent tooth extraction (predominantly mandibular third molars)
1 finding from 1 review
  • Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
    Follow-up: median 7 days
    No adverse events were reported. Six trials (673 participants) reported no adverse events from the use of chlorhexidine gel; one study (Rubio-Palau 2015) reported gastrointestinal discomfort (30, 18%), dizziness (10,…
    7 studies
    GRADE not reported

Chlorhexidine gel (0.2%, intrasocket) vs placebo or no treatment

Presence of dry socket · Adults (>18 years) having permanent tooth extraction (predominantly mandibular third molars)

Chlorhexidine gel (0.2%, intrasocket) probably leads to lower presence of dry socket compared with placebo or no treatment (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Chlorhexidine + zinc acetate mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Adverse events · Adolescents and adults aged over 16 years with clinical or self-assessed halitosis of oral origin; excluding induced or physiological…

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • 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

Chlorhexidine + zinc acetate mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Patient-reported OLT score · Adolescents and adults aged over 16 years with clinical or self-assessed halitosis of oral origin; excluding induced or physiological…

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
    mean 3 months
    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

Chlorhexidine + zinc acetate mouthwash vs Placebo mouthwash

Dentist-reported organoleptic test (OLT) score (scale 0 to 5) · Adolescents and adults aged over 16 years with clinical or self-assessed halitosis of oral origin; excluding induced or physiological…

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

1 finding from 1 review

Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo

Patient‐reported pain intensity or pain relief (VAS, NRS or categorical scale) · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6…
    0 studies
    No studies found

Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo

Duration to heal oral ulcerations after initiation of treatment · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6…
    0 studies
    No studies found

Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo

Healing of ulceration · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6…
    0 studies
    No studies found

Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo

Incidence and recurrence after healing of ulcers · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6…
    0 studies
    No studies found

Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo

Adverse effects of long‐term use of available topical agents · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6…
    0 studies
    No studies found

HVGIC with chlorhexidine cavity disinfectant vs HVGIC without cavity disinfectant

Restoration failure · Children with carious primary teeth

No comparative effect estimate was reported; cavity disinfectant did not affect success in the review narrative.

1 finding from 1 review