“Dentists over time have seen that their patients who floss regularly can prevent periodontal disease and those who have periodontal disease can have an improvement in their condition when they floss, but the studies don’t bear that out”, she said.
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So the next time your dentist asks you how your flossing routine has been, just tell him the truth because science is on your side.
In fact, following an Associated Press (AP) investigation in the U.S., flossing was found to do more harm than good if done incorrectly. After the request, Associated Press received a letter from the government admitting that proper research had never been done, though it is required.
Still, the federal government, dental organizations and manufacturers of floss have pushed the practice for decades.
According to the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, regular interdental cleaning is still a beneficial accompaniment to brushing, whether with floss or an interdental brush.
Except there’s little proof that flossing works.
The American Dental Association has been promoting using floss for more than a hundred years.
He says both studies done at UB also found that flossing improved the health of gums by about 10 to 15 percent.
The latest dietary guidelines for Americans, issued by the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, quietly dropped any mention of flossing without notice.
Therefore, it is important to clean the other half by flossing.
“This is a prime example of what happens when you don’t have adequately powered…studies with enough patients”, said Dr. Christopher W. Cutler, Chairman of Periodontics at the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University. When there was a correlation, the studies used descriptors like “inconsistent/weak evidence” or “very unreliable” and “lack of efficacy”. One of the studies from 2011 did link flossing to a moderate reduction in gum inflammation.
“Flossing helps remove plaque that is located between your teeth and can not be reached with a toothbrush”, the group said in a statement. Careless flossing can damage the gums and teeth, and even dislodge fillings.
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‘We know there’s a possibility that it works, so we feel comfortable telling people to go ahead and do it’.
