This issue is about halitosis management.
Managing halitosis is not only a health issue, but it can also be a communication problem that cannot be ignored.There are a variety of breath fresheners out there, but most of them are not effective until you try them.There are also products that claim to have miraculous effects, and it's hard to know what the right answer is.The following review evaluates the effects of several interventions and may provide some hints for oral care.
The studies
This review includes 44 studies, which compared interventions with placebo or control groups in 1809 participants.Participants ranged in age from 17 to 77 years.
Most of the trials report on short-term follow-up (ranging from 1 to 4 weeks).
Of these, only one trial reports on long-term follow-up (3 months).
They compared different types of interventions classified as mechanical wound cleaning, chewing gum, systemic debridement, topical agents, toothpaste, gargles/rinses, tablets, and combination methods.
Mechanical debridement
For mechanical tongue cleaning versus no tongue cleaning, the evidence for dentist-reported OLT scores was very uncertain.
No data on patient-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Chewing gum
For 0.6% eucalyptus chewing gum and placebo chewing gum, the evidence for dentist-reported outcome OLT scores was very uncertain.No data on patient-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Systemic deodorant
For 1,000 mg champignons versus placebo, the evidence for patient-reported VAS scores was very uncertain.No data on dentist-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Topical agents
For hinokitiol gel and placebo gel, the evidence for dentist-reported outcome OLT scores was very uncertain.No data on patient-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Toothpaste
For 0.3% triclosan toothpaste versus control toothpaste, the evidence for dentist-reported outcome OLT scores was highly uncertain.No data on patient-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Gargles/rinses
Evidence for dentist-reported OLT scores was very uncertain for gargles containing chlorhexidine and zinc acetate compared with placebo gargles.No data on patient-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Tablet
No data on primary outcomes for this comparison were reported.
Combinations
Brushing versus cethylpyridium mouthwash, evidence of dentist-reported OLT scores for outcomes was uncertain.No data on patient-reported OLT scores or adverse events were reported.
Reviewer's conclusions
Low to very low certainty evidence supporting the effectiveness of interventions to manage halitosis compared to placebo or control was tested for OLT and patient-reported outcomes. No conclusions could be drawn regarding the superiority of interventions or concentrations. A well-designed RCT should be conducted by standardizing interventions and concentrations.
Kumbargere Nagraj S, Eachempati P, Uma E, Singh VP, Ismail NM, Varghese E. Interventions for managing halitosis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 12. Art. No.: CD012213. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012213.pub2.
Conclusion
The statement above that the results of all the interventions were uncertain is based on the fact that most of the studies had results but were too uncertain to draw conclusions due to the heterogeneity of the numbers and other factors.If you see a statement like, "Some products or methods had this effect! This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing, and I've never seen anything like it.When embarking on halitosis care, it may be better to consider issues such as dental treatment rather than starting with self-care.
