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Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

arstechnica.com

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Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#11

Post by [deleted] »

flukus wrote: post #3
adrianN wrote: post #2

I wonder why they don't fund proper studies. Maybe because the effect is too obvious to question? My oral hygienist can tell whether I floss regularly or not, so there must be an observable difference in plaque buildup. Subjectively my gums also feel better and bleed less when I floss regularly.

I've never flossed, I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. My first trip to the dentist in 25 years was a few weeks ago and my teeth were perfect except for a wisdom tooth and the damage it caused. So i'm kind of skeptical of the effect. Edit - I always wonder what kind of toothbrush other people use. I've always used electric ones so I wonder if that helps.

[deleted]

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#12

Post by _0w8t »

From what I read and from personal experience it is a diet that has strongest effects on tooth health, not the the way to toothbrush or floss. For example, in Europe tooth health became much bigger problem after crusades when knights brought various dessert recipes from Lebanon and Syria.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#13

Post by fredsted »

cLeEOGPw wrote: post #8
flukus wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never flossed, I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. My first trip to the dentist in 25 years was a few weeks ago and my teeth were perfect except for a wisdom tooth and the damage it caused. So i'm kind of skeptical of the effect. Edit - I always wonder what kind of toothbrush other people use. I've always used electric ones so I wonder if that helps.

> I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. Same here. Never understood how people can physically floss. Maybe those with undeveloped teeth can do it, others, I don't see how it's even possible.

I use one of these: http://imgur.com/8A3dopG

For some teeth, I have to force it a little, my teeth are pretty close too. Its so worth it though: much better breath, clean feel, minimized risk of cavities.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#14

Post by flukus »

fredsted wrote: post #13
cLeEOGPw wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. Same here. Never understood how people can physically floss. Maybe those with undeveloped teeth can do it, others, I don't see how it's even possible.

I use one of these: http://imgur.com/8A3dopG For some teeth, I have to force it a little, my teeth are pretty close too. Its so worth it though: much better breath, clean feel, minimized risk of cavities.

I've tried them, but they refuse to go in too.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#15

Post by totalcrepe »

flukus wrote: post #7
pizza234 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdote is not evidence. A few people are certainly "gifted" teeth-wise (I know another case), but not going to the dentist for 25 years would be disastrous if applied on large scale.

>Anecdote is not evidence. Well that's the problem, we don't have better evidence.

> Well that's the problem, we don't have better evidence.

We actually have had it for quite a while. The CAMBRA MOOC is put together by a dentist/statistician and lays out a point system based on correlation between patient behaviors/health and carries. It has been iteratively corrected based on effective and ineffective results when modifying behavior according to the system.

Notably in that system, floss is not given a point. Whatever effect it may have is either too weak or better described by other factors flossing correlates with.

When points like that come up, the teacher stresses that the system is only measuring odds of near term carries, so flossing may be effective for something else with regards to oral health or preventing one of the negative factors.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#16

Post by [deleted] »

cLeEOGPw wrote: post #8
flukus wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never flossed, I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. My first trip to the dentist in 25 years was a few weeks ago and my teeth were perfect except for a wisdom tooth and the damage it caused. So i'm kind of skeptical of the effect. Edit - I always wonder what kind of toothbrush other people use. I've always used electric ones so I wonder if that helps.

> I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. Same here. Never understood how people can physically floss. Maybe those with undeveloped teeth can do it, others, I don't see how it's even possible.

[deleted]

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#17

Post by woodpanel »

cLeEOGPw wrote: post #8
flukus wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never flossed, I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. My first trip to the dentist in 25 years was a few weeks ago and my teeth were perfect except for a wisdom tooth and the damage it caused. So i'm kind of skeptical of the effect. Edit - I always wonder what kind of toothbrush other people use. I've always used electric ones so I wonder if that helps.

> I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. Same here. Never understood how people can physically floss. Maybe those with undeveloped teeth can do it, others, I don't see how it's even possible.

I'm the opposite: Never understood how people are NOT able to floss :-)

However, if you aren't able to sink in the floss between your teeth, even if you apply technique and power, well then rest assured neither will chewing food then be able to sink itself in there.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#18

Post by dualogy »

adrianN wrote: post #2

I wonder why they don't fund proper studies. Maybe because the effect is too obvious to question? My oral hygienist can tell whether I floss regularly or not, so there must be an observable difference in plaque buildup. Subjectively my gums also feel better and bleed less when I floss regularly.

> bleed less when I floss regularly

Sheesh, shouldn't they ideally never-bleed? Just what is it you're ingesting (or not ingesting)?

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#19

Post by imron »

flukus wrote: post #3
adrianN wrote: post #2

I wonder why they don't fund proper studies. Maybe because the effect is too obvious to question? My oral hygienist can tell whether I floss regularly or not, so there must be an observable difference in plaque buildup. Subjectively my gums also feel better and bleed less when I floss regularly.

I've never flossed, I don't have gaps in my teeth to get the floss in. My first trip to the dentist in 25 years was a few weeks ago and my teeth were perfect except for a wisdom tooth and the damage it caused. So i'm kind of skeptical of the effect. Edit - I always wonder what kind of toothbrush other people use. I've always used electric ones so I wonder if that helps.

You might find that if you go to the dentist for teeth cleaning and they clear away all the plaque buildup that you'll be able to get the floss in between your teeth.

Like you, I have good teeth (never had a filling) and on average have visited the dentist about once every 10 years.

Like you I also used to never be able to get floss in between my teeth, but after a dental checkup some years back the dentist cleared all the plaque buildup and from then on getting the floss between my teeth was no problem, and I've been flossing regularly since.

Once the plaque builds up and hardens, it's very difficult to break it up with just floss and you'll have difficulty getting floss in.

For what it's worth, my teeth definitely feel cleaner after flossing, and if I miss a couple of days they start to feel dirty.

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