No strong proof that flossing your teeth has medical benefit

[darkswordsman17]

If you know how to brush properly (focus where your gums and teeth meet and the nooks between your teeth; obviously you need to make sure your teeth get clean, and massage your gums too) then flossing isn't necessary. Flossing isn't bad (although it can be if you're a dumbass about it), but its too much time for not enough benefit.

After you eat the best thing is pick any big chunks out and rinse with water. Do not brush after eating (especially if you ate a lot with high acidity) as your tooth enamel needs to harden before you scrub your teeth.

Brush before you eat, and rinse regularly with some water.

Oh, and don't use mouthwash with alcohol.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Agreed. Floss after you eat you see food particles fly out. WTF makes anyone think that leaving food particle in between teeth is a good thing?

This article reeks of "let's go against conventional wisdom so we attract more views" like all those new age diet articles.

Edit: Okay, maybe not. After reading the article, it may be just flawed studies.

If you're having that much food particles (and especially large chunks) then you need to chew your food better and learn how to use a toothpick and rinse with water.

 

[tortillasoup]

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).

And your dentist is correct. If you have type A blood type vs. Type O and if you're a Secreter vs non secreter (http://rhnegativebloodsecrets.blogspot.com/2013/01/are-you-secretor-or-non-secretor.html), nose breathing vs mouth breathing,
you'll be at a significantly lower risk of getting tooth decay. My mom is type O and she is extremely prone to getting cavities despite religiously brushing and flossing after every meal. Meanwhile, I could probably go a year without brushing or flossing and wouldn't get any cavities. Breath would be horrible and mouth would feel disgusting but due to my blood type and secreter status, I'm least likely to get cavities.

 

[zinfamous]

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.

I just save those chunks for a later, mid-afternoon snack. Also gives me something to do and burns a few calories trying to fish those out with my tongue.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I don't need a clutch of university eggheads to tell me flossing is good.

 

[zinfamous]

I don't need a clutch of university eggheads to tell me flossing is good.

As usual, the knuckleheads take up the knucklehead media's erroneous reporting:

study: There is no compelling evidence in all of the previous studies that supports a significant benefit to flossing.

media: flossing does nothing for you!

 

[SP33Demon]

And your dentist is correct. If you have type A blood type vs. Type O and if you're a Secreter vs non secreter (http://rhnegativebloodsecrets.blogspot.com/2013/01/are-you-secretor-or-non-secretor.html), nose breathing vs mouth breathing,
you'll be at a significantly lower risk of getting tooth decay. My mom is type O and she is extremely prone to getting cavities despite religiously brushing and flossing after every meal. Meanwhile, I could probably go a year without brushing or flossing and wouldn't get any cavities. Breath would be horrible and mouth would feel disgusting but due to my blood type and secreter status, I'm least likely to get cavities.

Very interesting stuff. I'm the same as you so that is probably why I don't have cavities either (despite good dental hygiene and avoiding sugary foods).

Man, Type O really gets fucked because they're more likely to attract mosquitoes to boot.

 

[Staples]

I read this article yesterday and wondered about its validity. I could find no articles on the web questioning the effectiveness of flossing prior to the month yet this article makes it seem that flossing was well known to be bunk. I call BS on this article. (actually, I read this one on the Guardian).

 

[Jaskalas]

Agreed. Floss after you eat you see food particles fly out. WTF makes anyone think that leaving food particle in between teeth is a good thing?

Perhaps it helps... but not enough to make a difference.
I suspect flossing does not get all the food particles, but a waterpik would.

 

[clamum]

If you know how to brush properly (focus where your gums and teeth meet and the nooks between your teeth; obviously you need to make sure your teeth get clean, and massage your gums too) then flossing isn't necessary. Flossing isn't bad (although it can be if you're a dumbass about it), but its too much time for not enough benefit.

After you eat the best thing is pick any big chunks out and rinse with water. Do not brush after eating (especially if you ate a lot with high acidity) as your tooth enamel needs to harden before you scrub your teeth.

Brush before you eat, and rinse regularly with some water.

Oh, and don't use mouthwash with alcohol.

I never realized how much food is still stuck around in your mouth and teeth after eating until recently since I've tried to remember to rinse out my mouth a couple times with water after eating.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Personally I don't find any of the "buy X do X eat X for better health" medical journalism believable when there are so many conflicts of interest involved. Haven't seen a doctor whose clinic isn't peddling something in addition than the usual consults + prescriptions.

 

[HumblePie]

Daily flossing is not needed. And twice a day flossing as recommended previously? Really not needed unless you actually eat something that is stuck in your teeth like a popcorn kernel.

That being said, flossing every few days is good because stuff does build up in between teeth.

Seriously though, swishing a liquid around your mouth after eating food does wonders for actual dental hygiene. It's cheap and effective and easy to do.

Also mouth wash, unless a huge fluoride based one, doesn't do much. Unless you like minty floor cleaner taste/sensation in your mouth it is much more effective to brush the back of your tongue to remove bad breath than use your average mouth wash.

 

[zinfamous]

Seriously though, switching a liquid around your mouth after eating food does wonders for actual dental hygiene. It's cheap and effective and easy to do.

I do this with whiskey after every meal. adds some sterilization, too.

 

[lefenzy]

Oh, and don't use mouthwash with alcohol.

Isn't there some link between mouthwash and cancer?

 

[tortillasoup]

Isn't there some link between mouthwash and cancer?

Not exactly. The article said that if you're a smoker or you use chewing tobacco, you're more likely to absorb the cancer causing particles, increasing the risk of cancer. I don't use listerine regularly, mostly for when I think I have a mouth infection of some sort or a sore throat. Gargling for 5 minutes with a sore throat usually cures it pretty good.

 

[Imp]

I started brushing regularly about a decade ago and my gums still looked/felt like shit until I started flossing daily. Floss I buy costs about $5 for a year's supply and it takes about a minute or two... ya, I'll keep it up.

 

[Zee]

water pik (panasonic brand)

 

[CZroe]

I had a dentist tell me that I had been flossing well when I literally had not flossed for years until a few days before my appointment (enough time for gums to stop bleeding when flossed).

I use mouthwash every now and then but I only start flossing when something annoying is caught or I feel pressure/soreness/infection or something. Typically I bleed profusely for a few days and then all is well: no more blood, no more discomfort, healthy-looking gums, etc. That's when I stop flossing for about another year (several months at least). I go to the dentist every couple of years and they only have good things to say.

I also don't brush as often as I should: never more than once a day. No cavities and the last dentist asked to trade teeth with me so... *shrug*

 

[Red Squirrel]

Teeth are also somewhat genetic, some have better teeth than others. Some people can brush twice a day and all their teeth have cavities by age 30, and some can make it to 60 with not a single cavity and mediocre care.

 

[tortillasoup]

Teeth are also somewhat genetic, some have better teeth than others. Some people can brush twice a day and all their teeth have cavities by age 30, and some can make it to 60 with not a single cavity and mediocre care.

It's not really the teeth, but more to do with the flora in the mouth and how it interacts with the saliva and whatnot. Obviously it's not the only factor but it's a huge factor. Having diabetes or even being prediabetic will predispose someone to having serious tooth decay and or oral hygiene problems like sores, receding gums and whatnot.

 

[Imp]

I use mouthwash every now and then but I only start flossing when something annoying is caught or I feel pressure/soreness/infection or something. Typically I bleed profusely for a few days and then all is well: no more blood, no more discomfort, healthy-looking gums, etc. That's when I stop flossing for about another year (several months at least). I go to the dentist every couple of years and they only have good things to say.

I tried to floss only before check-ups for the longest time... I often forgot.

My teeth aren't well aligned: there's a space between molars on one side where crap always gets stuck. I fish a chunk of food out almost every single night using floss. If I eat kiwis, guaranteed to be a seed stuck there.

 

[JimmiG]

My teeth are close together, so there's no way I can reach between them with a toothbrush. If I don't floss, I accumulate a form of stinky goo between my teeth that would probably classify as a WMD.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I believe that cleaning your teeth requires a tiered approach so flossing works in conjunction with other activities such as correctly brushing your teeth. There are times that flossing is required to remove stuck food particles from in between my teeth With that said the intentional sarcasm demonstrated in this thread makes me .