Social isolation and oral health

alex-boyd-6-H23dfH7Qo-unsplash

In this blog Carly Ross takes a look at a review assessing the association between social isolation and oral health in adults. The findings suggested no strong association however, only 4 studies were included and these were of limited quality.

[read the full story...]

Orthodontic retainers and periodontal health

shutterstock_69850990- vacuum splint

This review comparing the effects of vacuum-formed retainers (VFR) and Hawley retainers (HR) on periodontal health included 6 RCTs. While the findings suggests a statistical benefit in favour of HR in the short term the studies are small, short-term and most ( 5) were considered to be at high risk of bias.

[read the full story...]

Herbal mouthwashes: Are they a useful oral hygiene adjunct?

shutterstock_87714310

This review of the the effect of herbal mouthwashes as an adjuvant to oral hygiene measures in reducing plaque and gingival inflammation in adults included 20 RCTs suggesting that most agents performed better than placebo.

[read the full story...]

Interdental cleaning devices for prevention and control of caries and periodontal disease

shutterstock_20598889-Floss

Thi Cochrane review evaluateingthe effectiveness of interdental cleaning devices used at home, in addition to toothbrushing, compared with toothbrushing alone, for preventing and controlling periodontal diseases, caries, and plaque includes 35 RCTs providing low to very low certainty evidence that floss or interdental brushes in addition to toothbrushing may reduce gingivitis or plaque, or both.

[read the full story...]

Baking soda toothpaste for control of plaque and gingivitis?

shutterstock_26227375 toothbrushes and toothpaste

This review of the effect of baking soda toothpastes on plaque and gingivitis included 21 studies providing 43 comparisons that suggest some benefit with respect to plaque removal.

[read the full story...]

Probiotics for oral health?

shutterstock_88430440

This review of the effect of probiotic containing dairy products on oral health included 32 studies involving a broad range of dairy products suggesting a positive effect on S.Mutans (SM) levels and salivary pH.

[read the full story...]

Oral hygiene advice: insufficient evidence for best way of providing one to one advice

shutterstock_68251921 dental education young girl and nurses

This Cochrane review of the effects of one-to-one oral hygiene advice, provided by a member of the dental team in a dental setting included 19 RCTs providing insufficient evidence to recommend any specific 1:1 method.

[read the full story...]

Toothpaste: Does it inhibit plaque regrowth?

shutterstock_71786263

This review of the effect of a regular fluoride dentifrice compared to water or saline on dental plaque inhibition using the 4-day non-brushing model included 9 studies and demonstrated a weak weak inhibitory effect on plaque regrowth with toothpaste use.

[read the full story...]

Chlorhexidine-fluoride mouthwash efficacy

shutterstock_12720943-mouthwash

This review of the efficacy of a chlorhexidine mouthwash containing sodium fluoride compared to a chlorhexidine mouthwash alone includes 10 small short term studies that suggests the findings are similar for both preparations.

[read the full story...]

Candida albicans: higher prevalence in children with early childhood caries

shutterstock_90529192

This review of a possible association between oral Candida albicans and early childhood caries (ECC) included 15 cross-sectional studies.The prevalence of C. albicans in children with ECC was found to be significantly higher than in caries-free children.

[read the full story...]