Now, the federal government has removed flossing from its dietary guidelines, sparking a nation-wide argument.
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Studies over the past decade compares brushing and flossing to brushing alone.
It’s a recommendation we’ve all heard from our dentists and our moms: brush your teeth and don’t forget to floss to keep healthy teeth and gums. All of this was done without warning or notice.
In response, the United States federal government admitted to Associated Press reporters that the effectiveness of flossing has never been researched, as required by law for public health recommendations. But the evidence that flossing was beneficial, was very weak. “Proper flossing can remove dental plaque from the adjacent surfaces of the teeth”, a spokesman said, adding that the department would continue to review developments related to the issue.
“It’s low risk, low cost”, Tim Iafolla, a dentist with the National Institutes of Health, told the AP.
The new announcement came about after journalists at the AP news agency asked America’s health agencies for evidence that flossing did any good.
Flossing hasn’t been shown to prevent cavities or periodontal disease. If it approves the product, the ADA then charges an additional annual fee of 3,500 dollars (£2,648).
Perhaps unsurprisingly Time.com reported that the studies into the effectiveness of flossing have been both designed and funded by companies which produce dental floss. Well, it turns out that you and your dentist may be wasting your time on the topic of flossing.
“If you’re not flossing, you’ll usually see some puffy gums in between the teeth”, Beck said, “The gum can flare up and nearly give you a toothache”.
Dr PJ Byrne, who is also a periodontist and president of the Irish Dental Association, said proper dental hygiene practices would vary from patient to patient depending on their teeth.
According to medical literature, floss can cause bad bacteria to go through the bloodstream that may cause infections especially to those people with weak immune system.
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For years we’ve been told how important it is to floss every day. “We know that people who floss retain their teeth, so why research it?”
