To floss or not to floss, that is the question

Even though I don’t floss often, my teeth are fine.

“Floss is of little value unless the spaces between your teeth are too tight for the interdental brushes to fit without hurting or causing harm”. We’ll listen to our dentist and keep on flossing.

Dr. Jeffrey Payne, a dentist who specializes in treating gum disease at University Dental Associates in Lincoln, said he still recommends that all patients floss to remove plaque and prevent gingivitis. Because here’s the headline on a new Associated Press report, which states that there is “little proof” that the practice is helping: “Medical benefits of dental floss unproven”.

Now, the AP is questioning whether the USA government’s guidelines on flossing, as per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, are based on scientific evidence, and whether they need to be revised.

So this year in the federal government’s dietary guidelines, there is nothing about flossing. According to the AP, the feds acknowledged that flossing had never been adequately researched, as required.

So where did the ringing endorsement of flossing come from? “The Associated Press has reviewed 25 studies that say the case for flossing is “weak” and “very unreliable”. The report from the Cochrane group noted the studies “were of poor quality and conclusions must be viewed as unreliable”.

Dr Sigmund Leung Sai-man, president of the Hong Kong Dental Association, said the issue was about flossing not being practised properly.

But Florida dentist Tim Pruett disagrees with the new federal regulations. But the government has quietly dropped its recommendation, acknowledging the effectiveness of flossing has never been officially researched.

As well, he claims many people don’t know how to floss correctly. Replacing your toothbrush every few months, brushing twice a day for at least two minutes, and proper brushing technique are crucial to preventing plaque buildup and diseases.

Dr. Wayne Aldredge says most people use dental floss incorrectly, moving it in a sawing motion rather than up and down the sides of the teeth.

Dentist Levi Spear Parmly is credited with inventing floss in the early 19th Century.