For many years, dentists have been recommending flossing as an essential element of dental hygiene. But according to a recent report from the Associated Press, the medical benefits of flossing may be completely insecure. This news caused an uproar in the media. From the Department of Health and Human Services to the American Dental Association, everyone recommends using dental floss every day to prevent plaque formation, gum disease and tooth decay, but according to the Associated Press, these claims are based on research with major flaws. For example, the outdated detection method and my study time are too short.

But dental professionals say that it is not time to abandon dental floss. Lack of good research does not prove that something is ineffective - it is not a priority for research funding.

What did the Associated Press investigation find?

When the Associated Press asked the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture to provide evidence to support flossing, these agencies were unable to provide data. More importantly, floss has been quietly removed in the national dietary guidelines updated by these agencies. In a letter to the Associated Press, the government acknowledged that the benefits of dental floss have not been properly studied.

The Associated Press report conducted five analyses of a total of 25 studies comparing the use of toothbrushes with the combined use of toothbrushes and floss. The review found that evidence supporting the health of dental floss cleaning is "very unreliable" and "very low" quality. Other studies cited by the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology have demonstrated the benefits of flossing, which used outdated testing methods that were too short or too few to be considered reliable. If you brush your teeth with a toothbrush and floss, it won't be more effective than brushing your teeth alone.

Why do you want to bring a grain of salt?

Those of us who have been accused of using improper dental floss in the past may think that this is correct. However, this shocking discovery does not mean that we should completely abandon the dental floss. Dr. Matthew Messina, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association, acknowledged that the quality of research supporting floss was poor; however, he insisted that floss is still an effective way to remove food between teeth.

"We need to remove bacteria from the teeth, gums and teeth," Messina said. Messina went on to point out that doctors already know that preventive measures are effective, but there is not much research funding for preventive measures. “There is only so much research funding and so much research work,” he said. “So the study of dental floss did not put much effort into it, just because we have other more important things to do.”

Messina went on to say: "No one has done a study saying that parachuting with a parachute is safer than not using a parachute." "I still use a parachute because we only know that it will work. It's all about putting it. In the right direction." Van der Weiden does agree that cleaning teeth is good. It is not clear whether dental floss is the most effective strategy - Van der Weeden prefers toothpicks. Dr. Messina also pointed out that for those who have difficulty using floss correctly, piranhas and interdental cleaners are an option.

The bottom line? Although you may feel a bit betrayed for lack of scientific evidence, you should probably continue to do so. This is a low-risk preventive measure that can help you pursue a healthy mouth. Don't throw the floss.