You may have noticed that flossing has been the talk about town recently (at least in the dental industry!) The topic is quite controversial. The crux of the matter is that new evidence has come to light suggesting the tradition of recommending floss to patients as their number one method of interproximal cleaning may be without scientific basis.
Surprisingly, there has never been any real evidence to show that flossing is effective for the general public. The recommendation to floss was based on a study of dental students. Thanks to their dental background, the technique shown by the dental students was almost flawless, and their gum health improved.
Flossing involves much more than just passing the floss between your teeth – you need to hug the neck of the tooth and get below the gumline. For a visual demonstration of the flossing technique, watch this quick instructional video.
Not many people actually do this when they floss; in fact, it’s very difficult for someone without a dental education to floss to this standard.
So, for the general public – flossing doesn’t necessarily mean healthier gums. This was supported by a paper released only last year.
However, that’s not to say there’s nothing you can do. The surface in between the teeth still exists and unless you have big gaps between all of your teeth, you just can’t clean it by brushing alone. Other devices such as interdental brushes can make it easier to clean those tricky-to-reach areas.
If you’re still not sure or have some questions – send us a message or come in and have a chat!