The American floss lie.....or truth?

Everyone recommends flossing – but there's hardly any proof it works

Dental organizations and the federal government have long urged people to use dental floss, but the latest US guidelines have dropped the recommendation.

It’s one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities.

Except there’s little proof that flossing works.

Still, governments, dental organisations and manufacturers of floss have pushed the practice for decades. Dentists provide samples to their patients; the British Dental Association insists on its patient website that flossing helps “in the battle against tooth decay and gum disease”.

But all this could change following an investigation by Associated Press (AP). Last year journalists from the agency asked the departments of health and human services and agriculture in the US for their evidence that flossing works.

Since then, the US government has quietly dropped the recommendation, admitting that there is no scientific evidence to prove the benefits. And now the NHS is set to review their own guidelines.

On its website, it currently states that dental floss “helps to prevent gum disease by getting rid of pieces of food and plaque from between your teeth” which can cause inflammation.

A leading British dentist, however, said there is only “weak evidence” that flossing helps in this way. Professor Damien Walmsley of Birmingham University, said the time and expense required for reliable studies meant the health claims often attributed to floss were unproven.

Walmsley, who is also a scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, said: “The difficulty is trying to get good evidence. People are different and large studies are costly to do ... until then you can’t really say yes or no.”

He added “more sophisticated trials” were needed. “It’s important to tell people to do the basics. Flossing is not part of the basics.”

AP also looked at the most rigorous research of the past decade. Twenty-five studies in leading journals found evidence for flossing is “weak, very unreliable”, of “very low” quality, and carries “a moderate to large potential for bias”.

One review conducted last year said: “The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal.”

More: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/02/dental-floss-proof-works-guidelines-dropped



I'm in two minds about this having worked in a dental surgery and speaking to dentists and hygienists. They were all extensively trained and adamant that flossing helped prevent plaque build-up.

Perhaps they were sold a lie to sell on the lie to us?

I use interdentals, which are much more efficient.

eddie wrote:Everyone recommends flossing – but there's hardly any proof it works

Dental organizations and the federal government have long urged people to use dental floss, but the latest US guidelines have dropped the recommendation.

It’s one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities.

Except there’s little proof that flossing works.

Still, governments, dental organisations and manufacturers of floss have pushed the practice for decades. Dentists provide samples to their patients; the British Dental Association insists on its patient website that flossing helps “in the battle against tooth decay and gum disease”.

But all this could change following an investigation by Associated Press (AP). Last year journalists from the agency asked the departments of health and human services and agriculture in the US for their evidence that flossing works.

Since then, the US government has quietly dropped the recommendation, admitting that there is no scientific evidence to prove the benefits. And now the NHS is set to review their own guidelines.

On its website, it currently states that dental floss “helps to prevent gum disease by getting rid of pieces of food and plaque from between your teeth” which can cause inflammation.

A leading British dentist, however, said there is only “weak evidence” that flossing helps in this way. Professor Damien Walmsley of Birmingham University, said the time and expense required for reliable studies meant the health claims often attributed to floss were unproven.

Walmsley, who is also a scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, said: “The difficulty is trying to get good evidence. People are different and large studies are costly to do ... until then you can’t really say yes or no.”

He added “more sophisticated trials” were needed. “It’s important to tell people to do the basics. Flossing is not part of the basics.”

AP also looked at the most rigorous research of the past decade. Twenty-five studies in leading journals found evidence for flossing is “weak, very unreliable”, of “very low” quality, and carries “a moderate to large potential for bias”.

One review conducted last year said: “The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal.”

More: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/02/dental-floss-proof-works-guidelines-dropped



I'm in two minds about this having worked in a dental surgery and speaking to dentists and hygienists. They were all extensively trained and adamant that flossing helped prevent plaque build-up.

Perhaps they were sold a lie to sell on the lie to us?

Hahaha, "Walmsley." That's a funny name.

I know a few people with funny names. One guy is called "Mitch Mitchell." Oh, how I laugh every time I think of that! It's so funny.

I really enjoy funny things. Like the other day I heard a joke from Ellen DeGeneris where she said, "My grandmother started walking five miles a day, every day, when she was 65! Now she's 90 ... and we have no idea where the hell she is!"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Sophisticated humour. I like it. Why have I never noticed your funniness before? You are bloody hilarious.

You want to check out some of my jokes? Call me!

Flossing does remove food between the teeth that tooth brushes will not remove, so I say flossing is beneficial.

I can't get floss between my teeth, and even if I could I wouldn't bother. A toothbrush does the job.

Raggamuffin wrote:I can't get floss between my teeth, and even if I could I wouldn't bother. A toothbrush does the job.

No matter how well I brush, floss gets a lot from between my teeth. I guess it depends on what type of teeth you have.

Raggamuffin wrote:I can't get floss between my teeth, and even if I could I wouldn't bother. A toothbrush does the job.

Me neither. I tried to force it, and my gums bled. So I said screw it and I never get cavities.

It's just a cleaning technique. Probably better than only brushing the surface of teeth.

According to my dentist, gums bleed because you dont floss regularly. Persevere and they will stop bleeding. Use a thinner dental floss, they do come in varying widths.

Syl wrote:According to my dentist, gums bleed because you dont floss regularly. Persevere and they will stop bleeding. Use a thinner dental floss, they do come in varying widths.

Bleeding is a result of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease results from inadequate cleaning, I guess s/he is saying, and flossing cleans surfaces in between teeth.

Should you floss False teeth ? [just asking] ?

nicko wrote:Should you floss False teeth ?    [just asking] ?

I don't have any dentures, so I don't know. Since they are removable, there might be better ways.

Original Quill wrote:

Syl wrote:According to my dentist, gums bleed because you dont floss regularly. Persevere and they will stop bleeding. Use a thinner dental floss, they do come in varying widths.

Bleeding is a result of periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease results from inadequate cleaning, I guess s/he is saying, and flossing cleans surfaces in between teeth.

Bleeding when flossing can also be caused because you are being too rough, or the floss doesnt suit.
I clean and floss, but certain floss makes my gums bleed because it's too thick, like others have said my teeth are also close together.
I found a very narrow tape that works fine.

I'm sure teeth can survive without being flossed. Use a soft toothbrush if you don't want receding gums.

Instead of floss, I use tape. Still a string-like material, it's flat so it slips in-between teeth, yet you can put the flat surface against the tooth and cover more.

Works very well, and cleans better too.

You don't need flossing if you use your brush properly, most people hold the brush too rigidly and are too harsh, you should hold the brush lightly right at the end of the handle with your thumb and index finger and brush as lightly to allow the bristles too bend into the tooth shape and between the closest set teeth. brush each surface for at least a minute so at the very least 5 minutes.

Gospel according to my dentist anyhow.