Plaque · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
It is very uncertain whether flossing plus toothbrushing (self-performed; manual or automated… changes plaque (Turesky-modified Quigley-Hein/other plaque indices; SMD) compared with toothbrushing alone (with or without a negative-control/placebo rinse) (very low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
SMD -0.23 [-0.52, 0.06]
5 studies · 416 participants
Very low
SMD -0.06 [-0.23, 0.12]
3 studies · 487 participants
GRADE not reported
SMD -0.20 [-0.36, -0.04]
5 studies · 594 participants
GRADE not reported
Side effects · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
1 finding from 1 review
Not estimable (5 studies). Adverse effects were assessed in five studies, but they used different outcome measures, so meta-analysis was not appropriate. The main harm identified was soft-tissue trauma to the gingival…
5 studies
GRADE not reported
Gingivitis · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
Flossing plus toothbrushing (self-performed; manual or automated… led to lower gingivitis (Gingival Index, 0-3 scale; SMD) compared with toothbrushing alone (with or without a negative-control/placebo rinse); GRADE not reported.
3 findings from 1 review
SMD -0.41 [-0.68, -0.14]
6 studies · 656 participants
GRADE not reported
SMD -0.36 [-0.66, -0.05]
7 studies · 489 participants
Very low
SMD -0.72 [-1.09, -0.35]
4 studies · 564 participants
GRADE not reported
Economic and resource cost of flossing · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Interproximal caries · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Periodontitis (clinical attachment loss) · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Bad breath (halitosis) · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Calculus · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Quality of life · Dentate adults aged 16 years or older (excluding orthodontic patients and those with severe periodontal disease)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Gingival index (GI) · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without… led to lower gingival index (GI) compared with no active intervention/usual care; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
SMD -1.75 [-2.27, -1.24]
12 studies
GRADE not reported
HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin), change · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without… probably leads to lower hbA1c (glycated haemoglobin), change compared with no active intervention/usual care (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Quality of life indicators · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
1 finding from 1 review
Plaque index (PI) / oral hygiene · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without… led to lower plaque index (PI) / oral hygiene compared with no active intervention/usual care; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
SMD -2.05 [-2.57, -1.53]
18 studies
GRADE not reported
Probing pocket depth (PPD/PD) · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without… led to lower probing pocket depth (PPD/PD) compared with no active intervention/usual care; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
MD -0.56 [-0.72, -0.40]
21 studies
GRADE not reported
Percentage of bleeding on probing (BOP) · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without… led to lower bleeding on probing (BOP) compared with no active intervention/usual care; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Diabetic complications · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects of treatment · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
1 finding from 1 review
Resource implications (e.g. cost of incontinence management methods) · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Included studies did not report cost data. A brief economic commentary drew on four external economic evaluations (Smits 2020, Nasseh 2017, Choi 2020, Soloweij-Wedderburn 2017) suggesting potential cost…
0 studies
No studies found
Clinical attachment level (CAL) · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without… led to lower clinical attachment level (CAL) compared with no active intervention/usual care; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
MD -0.48 [-0.65, -0.31]
18 studies
GRADE not reported
Side effects · Adults, 16 years and older (dentate)