No need to floss say US experts
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- Published: Wednesday, 03 August 2016 09:10
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Public Health England (PHE) is to review guidance on flossing after health officials in the US admitted that there is no scientific evidence to show it works. Current NHS guidance recommends flossing once a day but that is due to be reviewed in January. The US health department has now removed daily flossing from its list of dental recommendations.
Responding Prof Damien Walmsley, the BDA’s scientific adviser, said: “Floss is of little value unless the spaces between your teeth are too tight for the inter-dental brushes to fit without hurting or causing harm. It’s important to tell people to do the basics. Flossing is not part of the basics.”
A PHE spokesman said: “PHE keeps abreast of the evidence base and will consider these findings. Some people may not have large enough spaces in between their teeth to use an inter-dental brush so flossing can be a useful alternative. Patients should speak to their dentist if they have any concerns.”
The US health department has now removed daily flossing from its list of dental recommendations. The change came after a request from the Associated Press for an explanation of the evidence. In a letter to the agency, the US government conceded that the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched. Most studies claiming to find a positive effect look only at dental hygiene over a few weeks rather than investigating long-term changes in gum disease and cavities.
Wayne Aldredge, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, said that he advised patients to floss. While accepting the weak evidence, he said it might still be relevant for those most at risk, such as smokers and diabetics. “It’s like building a house and not painting two sides of it,” he said. “Ultimately, those two sides are going to rot away quicker.”
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