No strong proof that flossing your teeth has medical benefit

[NAC4EV]

No strong proof that flossing your teeth has medical benefit

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/dental-floss-1.3703798

Flossing might not actually do anything.


Yeah. Let that sink in. Think back over all the years you lied guiltily to your dentist about how you definitely wiggle thin little strands of thread between your teeth every night in the name of preventing cavities and gum disease. And let the sweet, sweet vindication flow in. (Alternatively, if you are a professed flosser, despair).

Apparently the federal government has recommended Americans floss their teeth since 1979, but when recently asked by The Associated Press to provide the scientific evidence of flossing's benefits, the government quietly slipped the recommendation out of its latest dietary guidelines. When AP followed up, the government confessed that the effectiveness of flossing hasn't actually been researched to the extent that is required.
The AP looked at the most rigorous research conducted over the past decade, focusing on 25 studies that generally compared the use of a toothbrush with the combination of toothbrushes and floss.

The findings? The evidence for flossing is "weak, very unreliable," of "very low" quality, and carries "a moderate to large potential for bias."
"The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal," said one review conducted last year. Another 2015 review cites "inconsistent/weak evidence" for flossing and a "lack of

 

[Linux23]

I guess the floss industry slipped the gubment some cheddar to recommend daily flossing without any type of research

 

[lxskllr]

I use floss as sewing thread. Makes a nice durable repair when color/texture doesn't matter.

 

[Ns1]

I don't feel so bad anymore.

 

[Printer Bandit]

that white shit in between your teeth shouldn't be there.

 

[Linux23]

that white shit in between your teeth shouldn't be there.

Says who our gubment?

 

[sdifox]

I use waterpick

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hate flossing, it's so tedious, even with those sticks. I try to do it every now and then but end up falling behind.

If I don't do it often enough I find my gums start to bleed easily though. There is definitely a benefit to flossing, removing plaque and strengthening the gums. Maybe there is no benefit to doing it every single day vs a few times per month, though.

 

[Zeze]

Nevermind the actual health benefit, flossing FEELS great- getting all that gunk out.

Nothing like a cool evening shower + brush + flossing = hit the sack.

 

[Blue_Max]

Considering I occasionally find bits of food with floss, I'd call it a good thing. Between not getting rotten-food breath and possible tooth decay, I vote to continue flossing.

Besides, they only seemed to be concerned with gum disease, not the actual teeth!

Further proof Trudeau's private CBC has become nearly worthless.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Nevermind the actual health benefit, flossing FEELS great- getting all that gunk out.

Nothing like a cool evening shower + brush + flossing = hit the sack.

100% agree. It feels like work is being done. That work is immediately confirmed when that nice big piece of steak flies out and sticks to the mirror.

 

[Slacker]

Eating this daily is just as good as flossing

NSFW. //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160803/a144f26251d04f21c241ebf4ec35d0f5.jpg

 

[brianmanahan]

what are you insinuating slacker

 

[datalink7]

I was told by a dentist that most the health of your teeth is actually dependent on genetics and the type of bacteria that decides to live in there (we all have different kinds apparently).

Myself, I brush my teeth every day but I must admit I rarely floss. Never got in the habit. I do on occasion but it isn't a regular thing. I've never anything wrong with my teeth, so I guess I lucked out (never had a cavity or anything). I'm 33.

 

[ElFenix]

waterpik > flossing (and most brushing)

 

[Linux23]

If you guys are finding big chunks of food between your teeth then I recommend a dental visit stat.

 

[purbeast0]

i don't care what this study says. my personal experience is when i floss regularly my dentist visits are always better than when i don't. i also notice that i have less plaque built up when i floss regularly. it's easy to see visually. it's also easy to understand why getting food stuck between your gums and teeth out of your mouth can be good for your dental hygiene instead of letting it sit in there and rot.

flossing definitely helps out bad breathe too.

 

[purbeast0]

If you guys are finding big chunks of food between your teeth then I recommend a dental visit stat.

you've never had a meal where you can feel chunks of food stuck between your teeth? i've definitely had meals where i get like a piece of steak or something stuck between my teeth to the point that it is pushing on my gum between the teeth and it hurts. if i'm at home and this happens i just go floss to get rid of it. it's really uncomfortable.

 

[cbrunny]

Nevermind the actual health benefit, flossing FEELS great- getting all that gunk out.

Nothing like a cool evening shower + brush + flossing = hit the sack.

this x ten bajillion infinities. I could never live without floss.

Also rotten food smells like rotting skunk ass. no one likes bad breath. Except Kentucky.

 

[KeithTalent]

Makes my teeth and gums feel good, so I would do it regardless.

KT

 

[NetWareHead]

Leaving food stuck inbetween your teeth is not good and leads to cavities. My first root canal was caused by a cavity inbetween my teeth which flossing could have prevented. That root canal taught me the hard way and I now floss religiously. Flossing reaches the areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can't.

Study is seriously flawed and flies in the face of common sense.

 

[vi edit]

I'm just going to go on a hunch and say that people who routinely floss are generally better at dental hygiene as a whole and that ends up being the difference in overall dental health.

Compare that to somebody that never flosses, or brushes for that matter and slugs down a gallon of fully leaded Mountain Dew daily.

 

[clamum]

Eh, I dunno what to think about that. I'd like to agree and say "fuck flossing" because until about two months ago, I never did it except a couple of very short times (I'm 33). I just had a bitch of a time with regular floss, and had tried those plastic pick things and they didn't work either.

I ended up trying those handheld picks again and they work fine and now I never skip flossing at night. You definitely pick shit out of your teeth, and I've definitely noticed less white crap/deposits on my tongue (bad breath) when tongue scraping.

My dentists have always harped on me about flossing too and have told me my gums were in not very good shape (which they could measure, so there's actually hard numbers behind it). And what would they gain by telling me to floss if it didn't matter? Less business? I'm going to the dentist in a couple weeks for the semi-annual checkup and I'm interested to see what they say.

 

[Viper GTS]

Once you are used to doing it it's no longer tedious. It is addictive.

I will say though that it seems like regularly flossing has increased my susceptibility to getting shit stuck in my teeth. Or maybe I just notice it more now but flossing is an absolutely mandatory part of my routine plus GUM picks immediately after every meal. Those things are magic.

Viper GTS

 

[Scarpozzi]