Study	Reason for exclusion
de Oliveira 2013	Not an RCT (although it was reported as such) Children were divided into 2 groups on the basis of past caries experience. Sealants were then applied to right‐side molars, and fluoride varnish to left‐side molars in all children No reply to letter requesting issue of randomisation
Fischman 1977	Study design not comparing sealant vs fluoride varnish Not an RCT. Random allocation not stated
Hita 2007	Not an RCT. Study authors classified study design as quasi‐experimental field trial (selection for fluoride group was randomly assigned, assignment to sealant group was not random)
Jaworska 1984	Not an RCT. Random allocation not stated Study design not clear. No contact details of study author provided for further information
Källestål 2005	Study design not comparing sealant vs fluoride varnish
Petterson 1983	Not an RCT. Commune study where children born in odd month received sealant and fluoride varnish applications on first permanent molars, and children born in even month were given only fluoride varnish applications. Clustered data (several teeth per child) but no information on number of children at baseline or at follow‐up (follow‐up times varied between children). Description of characteristics of children was missing
Raadal 1990	Study design not comparing sealant vs fluoride varnish Not an RCT. Random allocation not stated
Riethe 1977	Not an RCT. Random allocation not stated No contact details of study authors were given for further information
Saifullina 1990	Not an RCT. Random allocation not stated No reply to letter requesting information on the issue of randomisation
Uma 2011	Caries data remained unreliable despite additional information from study author

RCT = randomised controlled trial.