Report: Benefits Of Flossing Teeth Are ‘Unproven’
- 8 years ago
Flossing has been recommended for decades, but a recent report by the Associated Press calls its scientific basis into question.
Flossing has been recommended for decades, but a recent report by the Associated Press (AP) calls its scientific basis into question.
In fact, in an article published on Tuesday, Jeff Donn writes that “there's little proof that flossing works.”
He goes on to explain that the AP had contacted the Health and Human Services and Agriculture departments for corroborating data including “written requests under the Freedom of Information Act.”
Eventually, the AP received a note from the government admitting that “the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched, as required.”
The group also looked into related research studies and found that many lacked strong, consistent proof supporting flossing.
Meanwhile, representatives of two major dental organizations--the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology--have acknowledged that the scientific evidence is weak, but they still encourage people to floss.
According to the American Dental Association, "Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it has a chance to harden into plaque. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces...(flossing) helps clean these hard-to-reach tooth surfaces and reduces the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay."
The AP piece also notes that flossing has been removed from the recommended dietary guidelines issued by the U.S. federal government this year.
Flossing has been recommended for decades, but a recent report by the Associated Press (AP) calls its scientific basis into question.
In fact, in an article published on Tuesday, Jeff Donn writes that “there's little proof that flossing works.”
He goes on to explain that the AP had contacted the Health and Human Services and Agriculture departments for corroborating data including “written requests under the Freedom of Information Act.”
Eventually, the AP received a note from the government admitting that “the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched, as required.”
The group also looked into related research studies and found that many lacked strong, consistent proof supporting flossing.
Meanwhile, representatives of two major dental organizations--the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology--have acknowledged that the scientific evidence is weak, but they still encourage people to floss.
According to the American Dental Association, "Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it has a chance to harden into plaque. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces...(flossing) helps clean these hard-to-reach tooth surfaces and reduces the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay."
The AP piece also notes that flossing has been removed from the recommended dietary guidelines issued by the U.S. federal government this year.