What do systematic reviews say?

Analgesic (any: NSAID, paracetamol, local anaesthetic or opioid) vs placebo or control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies in this comparison reported any adverse events. SoF cell: 'Not reported'.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs placebo

Palifermin showed no clear difference in dysphagia compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months postRT
  RR 1.32 [0.55, 3.13]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine vs no treatment/placebo

Amifostine showed no clear difference in locoregional tumour control compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 to 24 months postRT
  HR 0.90 [0.74, 1.11]
  2 studies · 279 participants
  GRADE not reported

Polaprezinc vs Azulene oral rinse

Polaprezinc showed no clear difference in disability of oral intake compared with azulene oral rinse; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Over RT period
  RR 0.31 [0.07, 1.31]
  1 study · 31 participants
  GRADE not reported

Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No data on either quality of life or other oral related symptoms were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Antimicrobial lozenge vs placebo

Antimicrobial lozenge led to higher nausea (adverse effect) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Over 6 months
  RR 1.90 [1.10, 3.28]
  1 study · 131 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antiseptic mouthrinse vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No survival data were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No salivary flow rate data related to the effectiveness of different doses of amifostine were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No evidence of a difference for any other adverse event (nausea, vomiting, chilling, headache, lacrimation, dysphasia, weakness, nervousness, rhinitis, blurred vision, urinary frequency, dizziness, palpitation, skin…
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly showed no clear difference in nausea (adverse effect) compared with amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RR 0.64 [0.33, 1.25]
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly showed no clear difference in xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) compared with amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months postRT
  RR 0.94 [0.58, 1.53]
  1 study · 49 participants
  GRADE not reported

Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No adverse events could be attributed to the experimental medication (Grotz 2001)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Selenium vs no intervention

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 weeks after end of RT
  23 serious adverse events in the selenium group versus 22 in the control group (P = 0.476); no significant differences in toxicities (Buntzel 2010)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs placebo

Palifermin showed no clear difference in mouth and throat soreness (OMWQ-HN, 0-4 scale) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months postRT
  MD -0.12 [-0.27, 0.02]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Topical NSAID (ketoprofen chewing gum) vs Local anaesthetic (benzocaine chewing gum)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  The study did not report this outcome.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RTOG scores were a composite of radiation side effects on different sites and could not be used for assessing xerostomia (Grotz 2001)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine vs no treatment/placebo

Amifostine may leads to higher nausea (adverse effect) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RR 2.60 [1.81, 3.74]
  4 studies · 556 participants
  Low

Bethanechol vs Artificial saliva

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Low rates of adverse effects (watering eyes, nervousness, frequent urination, sweating, warm face, cramps, diarrhoea, nausea) with insufficient evidence of any differences (Jham 2007)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Antimicrobial lozenge vs placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Over 6 months
  Insufficient evidence of a difference for global quality of life, mouth pain RR 0.94 (95% CI 0.66 to 1.33), sore/burning mouth RR 0.95 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.35), throat pain RR 0.79 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.12) (Duncan 2005)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

NSAID (systemic) vs paracetamol

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies in this comparison reported this outcome.
  0 studies
  No studies found