{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T05:51:51Z","timestamp":1776318711249,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776211200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776211200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Gerodontology"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To evaluate the efficacy of dental varnishes\/gels in the prevention\/management of dental caries in older adults.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Cochrane, PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE were searched through March 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCT) including patients aged \u2265\u200960\u2009years (or average age\u2009\u2265\u200960\u2009years) utilizing varnish or gel interventions. Outcomes included caries incidence and lesion progression or reversal.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Of 112 abstracts reviewed, 10 RCTs (unclear or high risk of bias) were included. One study showed 1% chlorhexidine (CHX)\u20131% thymol varnish applied 7 times over 12\u2009months significantly reduced carious\/filled surfaces versus placebo (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001) and improved active lesions (RR\u2009=\u20092.00,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.018). Monthly 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish with professional brushing significantly improved outcomes versus standard fluoride toothpaste and oral hygiene instructions [OHI] (RR\u2009=\u20091.63,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.002). When professional cleaning and OHI were provided quarterly, adding varnishes (1% CHX\u20131% thymol or 5% NaF) showed no significant additional benefit. Evidence quality was low to moderate due to heterogeneity and bias.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Quarterly professional cleaning with OHI was as efficacious as adding either the 1% CHX\u20131% thymol or 5% NaF varnishes. Applying dental varnishes in the office every 3\u2009months could be a more practical option for the delivery of preventive modalities to older adults who could have cognitive or physical limitations that negatively impact the frequency of daily or weekly use at home of toothpaste or rinses. Future research should evaluate cost\u2010effectiveness and adherence to preventive protocols across different patient functional and behavioural abilities and care settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Trial Registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xlink:href=\"https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/PROSPERO\/view\/CRD42024585284\">PROSPERO<\/jats:ext-link>\n                      ID: CRD42024585284\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/ger.70075","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T05:13:21Z","timestamp":1776316401000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Efficacy of Dental Varnishes and Gels for the Prevention and Management of Dental Caries in Older Adults\u2014A Systematic Review and Meta\u2010Analysis"],"prefix":"10.1111","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9763-1092","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Theresa","family":"Cleary","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Master of Science Program in Geriatric Dentistry Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC  Los Angeles California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-2915-8177","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Enas M.","family":"Rostom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Master of Science Program in Geriatric Dentistry Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC  Los Angeles California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1751-3286","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Reyes","family":"Enciso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatrics Special Patients and Behavioral Sciences, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of University of Southern California  Los Angeles California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7866-1955","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roseann","family":"Mulligan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Dental Public Health &amp; Community Outreach Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of University of Southern California  Los Angeles California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_10_2_1","unstructured":"U.S. Census Bureau \u201cNational Population Projections Tables: Main Series \u201d (2023) https:\/\/www.census.gov\/data\/tables\/2023\/demo\/popproj\/2023\u2010summary\u2010tables.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_3_1","unstructured":"M.MatherandP.Scommegna \u201cFact Sheet: Aging in the United States \u201d Population Reference Bureau (2024) https:\/\/www.prb.org\/resources\/fact\u2010sheet\u2010aging\u2010in\u2010the\u2010united\u2010states\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_4_1","unstructured":"L.Mei S.Griffin B.Gooch et\u00a0al. \u201cOral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants Tooth Retention and Edentulism United States 1999\u20132004 to 2011\u20132016 \u201d Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2019) https:\/\/stacks.cdc.gov\/view\/cdc\/82756."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/jnnp\u20102018\u2010318650"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2022.2088866"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dentre.2022.100061"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0022034518800014"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/scd.12829"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10266\u2010021\u201000637\u2010w"},{"issue":"7","key":"e_1_2_10_11_1","first-page":"1321","article-title":"Chlorhexidine\u2014Pharmaco\u2010Biological Activity and Application","volume":"19","author":"Karpi\u0144ski T. 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