The American Dental Association’s website says, “Flossing is an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums”.
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If you thought flossing was great news for your health, think again. The studies cited by both organizations mostly looked at short-term warning signs like gum bleeding, but didn’t factor in long-term issues like gum disease or cavities.
One of the things that we have had to do most of our lives is floss our teeth. By law, these guidelines must be based on scientific evidence. Associated Press also formally filed Freedom of Information Acts.
When the federal government issued its latest guidelines this year, the flossing recommendation had been removed, without notice.
AP’s own research into this evidence suggested that it is outdated or weak, and that numerous American Dental Association and American Academy of Periodontology’s studies were insufficient.
A review of 12 randomized controlled trials published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2011 found only “very unreliable” evidence that flossing might reduce plaque after one and three months.
In essence, all the studies done to this point have shown little evidence that that flossing is demonstrating an ability to be effective in removing plaque.
Many of us were told as kids that flossing every day can add years to your life, but some are saying the health benefits to flossing are exaggerated and not supported in strong studies.
While some people will continue to floss daily, we will not be hearing about government recommendations on the subject.
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“If someone has large gaps between the teeth, flossing won’t get rid of food particles and plaque that brushing alone failed to dislodge”. However, according to AP, the studies that are supporting the ADA’s claim are old and the survey was done to a small number of people, BBC reported. You should be moving the floss up and down the sides of the teeth instead of in a sawing motion. People who didn’t floss felt guilty when they had to confess to their dentist that they didn’t floss. Other studies are designed and paid for by companies that sell floss, which is problematic for reasons it shouldn’t take one of the world’s most respected news agencies to sniff out.
