Is plaque regrowth inhibited by dentifrice?: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis

The aim of this systematic review was to establish in studies with human participants the effect of a regular fluoride dentifrice compared to water or saline on dental plaque inhibition.

MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane-CENTRAL, EMBASE and other electronic databases were searched, up to April 2018. The inclusion criteria were controlled clinical trials among participants aged ≥18 years with good general health. Papers that evaluated the effect of dentifrice slurry compared with water or saline on plaque regrowth during a 4-day nonbrushing period were included. Data were extracted from the eligible studies, the risk of bias was assessed, and a meta-analysis was performed where feasible.

The search retrieved eight eligible publications including 25 comparisons. The estimated potential risk of bias was low for all studies. Based on three different indices, overall plaque regrowth was significantly (P < 0.01) inhibited for 0.25 or more by the use of a dentifrice slurry as compared to water. All subanalysis on specific dentifrice ingredients and the overall descriptive analysis supported these findings.

The results of this review demonstrate moderate-quality evidence for a weak inhibitory effect on plaque regrowth in favour of the use of a dentifrice intended for daily use.