In early August 2016, a trending study hit the ground and quickly became prime time coverage across every news, blog, vlog and social media channel: that dental flossing is, in a nutshell, useless. Your first reaction is relief because surely, your dental hygienist is finally going to give you a pass on flossing. Well, we’re sorry to say that your team at Cornerstone Dental can’t recommend giving up your flossing routine just yet.
The original Associated Press highlight was based on Freedom of Information Act requests and information gleaned from meta-studies, which concluded that there was little evidence of flossing’s efficacy:
“As you read the article, it states that the Department of Agriculture and the Department Health and Human Services dropped flossing from their dietary guidelines, but flossing isn’t something that the ADA or even your local dentist is likely to recommend you stop doing anytime soon” says Dr. Wright.
The release of that story was greeted with mixed reviews, filled with gloating about how flossing is just a big, fat conspiracy used to line the pockets of Big Floss lobbyists palming money to dental associations.
So what’s the problem with this new “flossophy”?
The problem lies within the way that flossing is studied, and in the requirements of the federal governments’ Institution Review Boards. According to an article on Snopes.
“Very weak evidence, answering the questions of whether flossing prevents either dental caries or periodontitis. While that’s true — and I don’t disagree with that assessment — there are good reasons why that is, and the absence of evidence is not at all equivalent to the evidence that something is ineffective.”
The gains of flossing are just too beneficial, and while it’s not a silver bullet for good oral health it definitely has real worth when combined with regular checkups and brushing twice a day.
Fresher Breath
Flossing helps reduce the chances of developing gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) by removing the buildup of plaque between teeth and along the gum line.
The more plaque you develop and the longer it stays trapped between your teeth and along the gum line, the higher the chances are that it will become tartar, which can only be removed by a hygienist.
Avoiding Periodontal Disease
Left unchecked, gingivitis often develops into periodontitis. Whether it’s a mild case of gingivitis or bone damaging periodontitis, flossing is just another component of good oral health to avoid periodontal disease, which leads to the loss of teeth.
Dr. Wright says that it’s never too late to start being a better flosser.
“Let’s face it – we all forget to floss, even me. But it’s about trying to create a new habit and with the advent of floss picks; many of our patients keep them in the car, in their purse, in a drawer at the office as well as beside their toothbrush to give them a little reminder to floss at least once a day.”
Are You Searching For A Martinsburg Area Dentist For You Or Your Family?
If you’re searching for an experienced dentist please feel free to contact us online or call our Martinsburg, West Virginia dental office directly at 304.267.6059 to schedule your appointment. We provide a wide range of general dentistry care as well as more involved dentistry services for patients throughout the Martinsburg area and look forward to you joining the Cornerstone Dental family.
