Are anti‐inflammatory agents effective in treating gingivitis as solo or adjunct therapies? A systematic review. (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Polak, David; Martin, Conchita; Sanz‐Sánchez, Ignacio; Beyth, Nurit; Shapira, Lior
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical periodontology. Volume 42 (2015:Apr.)Supplement 16
• Page Start: S139
• Page End: S151
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: gingival inflammation -- anti‐inflammatory -- adjunctive therapy -- gingival index; Periodontics -- Periodicals; 617.6
• DOI: 10.1111/jcpe.12340
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0303-6979

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Systematically review the scientific evidence for efficiency of anti‐inflammatory agents against gingivitis, either as solo treatments or adjunctive therapies. Methods: A protocol was developed aimed to answer the following focused question: "Are anti‐inflammatory agents effective in treating gingivitis as solo or adjunct therapies?" RCTs and cohort studies on anti‐inflammatory agents against gingivitis studies were searched electronically. Screening, data extraction and quality assessment were conducted. The primary outcome measures were indices of gingival inflammation. A sub‐analysis was performed dividing the active agents into anti‐inflammatory and other drugs. Results: The search identified 3188 studies, of which 14 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The use of anti‐inflammatory or other agents, in general showed a higher reduction in the test than in the control in terms of gingival indexes and bleeding scores. Only two RCTs on inflammatory drugs could be meta‐analysed, showing a statistically significant reduction in the GI in the experimental group [WMD = −0.090; 95% CI (−0.105; −0.074); p = 0.000]. However, the contribution of both studies to the global result was unbalanced (% weight: 99.88 and 0.12 respectively). Conclusions: Most of the tested material showed beneficial effect as anti‐inflammatory agents against gingivitis, either as a single treatment modality or as an adjunctive therapy.