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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

#51

Post by rangibaby »

dazc wrote: post #43
mrweasel wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For years my oral hygienist kept telling me to a get an electric toothbrush. When I finally got one, I didn't tell her, but I never hear the "get an electric tooth brush" again. It was the same with flossing. When I started flossing I didn't say anything, and she hasn't commented that I need to floss since.

Also worth noting that if you floss properly (maybe also use interdental sticks) the descaling routine becomes a lot more comfortable. For this reason alone it's worth doing.

Flossing was a painful, bloody mess for me the first week or so I did it. Then it felt great, then I ran out of the floss sticks (like a disposable razor, but with floss instead of a blade) and haven't done it since. Such is life.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#52

Post by bbayles »

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 tested a few times - if I floss the day before and day of I don't get the "floss more!" lecture.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#53

Post by epalmer »

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.

My gaps are small. My dentist says my teeth are tight. I have found that using Glide is the best floss. Even with that I have at times cut right through the floss with a particular pair of teeth. You might want to try Glide.

I floss daily and sometimes twice a day. I keep floss at my desk at work and some mouthwash to kill some of germs that get stirred up. It is easy to fit that in when thinking through a problem.

I also take vitamin C twice a day. My dentists always comment on the good health of my gums and say "you take vitamin c don't you?" At 62 I want to maintain my gum and teeth health.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#54

Post by geon »

pc86 wrote: post #49
INTPenis wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The effect is very obvious. I'm not ashasmed to say that since the age of 18 - your last year of free dental care in Sweden - to the age of 31, I didn't go to the dentist at all. I brushed mostly regularly the second half of this period, I never flossed. I'm a computer geek, I can get caught up in code for days without brushing my teeth but try to do it regularly. The result was 13 years of plaque and two visits to a…

> I brushed mostly regularly the second half of this period I'm terrified to ask what you did the first half of that period.

Brushed irregularly?

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#55

Post by epalmer »

whack wrote: post #48
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.

Except that studies have now shown that the effect is not obvious at all. "Since doctors began saying that a string-based tooth scrapping was good for oral health, a handful of studies have been conducted. However, they all fall far short of what’s needed to make a convincing argument. A 2011 review of a dozen randomized controlled studies concluded that, “Overall there is weak, very unreliable evidence which suggest…

My teeth are tight and food tends to get stuck between them. If left attended the effect is festering, pain and infection. A quick floss, some mouthwash as a few days and the healing is complete. I will continue to floss. For me, the study size of one, flossing is a benefit. YMMV

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#56

Post by snarfy »

For most of my life I brushed but never flossed. I had no cavities but I was at risk of losing my teeth due to plaque below the gum line. My teeth were loose and gums would bleed when I brushed. I've had all that fixed and now floss regularly. In retrospect flossing seems more important than brushing.

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#58

Post by weavie »

pc86 wrote: post #49
INTPenis wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The effect is very obvious. I'm not ashasmed to say that since the age of 18 - your last year of free dental care in Sweden - to the age of 31, I didn't go to the dentist at all. I brushed mostly regularly the second half of this period, I never flossed. I'm a computer geek, I can get caught up in code for days without brushing my teeth but try to do it regularly. The result was 13 years of plaque and two visits to a…

> I brushed mostly regularly the second half of this period I'm terrified to ask what you did the first half of that period.

" I can get caught up in code for days "

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#59

Post by hydroxonium »

mamadrood wrote: post #23
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.

I've never been to the dentist and i am perfectly fine. I'm getting tired of soup, though.

lol

Re: Federal health expert drop flossing from health guidelines

#60

Post by nommm-nommm »

tiddlydum wrote: post #4
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.

This is anecdotal, but when I don't floss my teeth hurt.

Probably poor technique. When the oral hygienist flosses my teeth it doesn't hurt at all but I can't replicate the pain free flossing at home.
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