Table 1 Search strategy for identifying studies in primary electronic databases

((((orthodontic chain) OR (elastomeric chain) OR (elastic chain) OR (power chain) OR (chain))) AND (((force decay) OR (force degradation)))) AND (((mouthwashes [MeSH Terms]) OR (mouthwash) OR (mouth rinse) OR (mouthrinse) OR (mouth-rinse) (alcohol) OR (chlorhexidine) OR (fluorure) OR (bleaching)))

((‘orthodontic’/exp OR orthodontic) AND chain OR ((‘elastomeric’/exp OR elastomeric) AND chain) OR (elastic AND chain) OR ((‘power’/exp OR power) AND chain) OR chain) AND ((‘force’/exp OR force) AND decay OR ((‘force’/exp OR force) AND (‘degradation’/exp OR degradation))) AND (‘mouthwashes’/exp OR mouthwashes OR ‘mouthwash’/exp OR mouthwash OR ((‘mouth’/exp OR mouth) AND rinse) OR ‘mouthrinse’/exp OR mouthrinse OR ‘mouth rinse’/exp OR ‘mouth rinse’ OR ‘alcohol’/exp OR alcohol OR ‘chlorhexidine’/exp OR chlorhexidine OR fluorure OR ‘bleaching’/exp OR bleaching)