Leading Dentist Questions the Health Benefits of Flossing
Despite high recommendations from most dental professionals, a leading dentist from the UK has said the evidence that flossing prevents tooth decay and gum disease is “weak”.
Birmingham University’s Professor Damien Walmsley, who is a scientific advisor for the British Dental Association, has said that the expense and time needed for reliable studies means that the health benefits often related to flossing are not proven.
Professor Walmsley said that getting good evidence is difficult because people differ from one another and bigger studies cost a lot of money.
According to an investigation by Associated Press, the 25 of the past decade’s most rigorous research studies found that evidence for flossing is of ‘very low quality’, ‘weak’ and ‘very unreliable. It was also said that the studies carry a moderate to large bias potential. One study did, however, credit floss for slightly reducing gum inflammation. But the evidence was still ranked as unreliable by the reviewers.
A spokeswoman from Public Health England said that the body will take these findings into consideration. She added that some individuals might lack adequate space between their teeth to use interdental brushes, so flossing is sometimes a good alternative. The spokeswoman concluded by saying that patients with concerns about oral hygiene should visit their dentist for advice.
The American government dropped the flossing recommendation from their guidelines earlier this year, as by law they must be based on scientific evidence.
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