In this edition of the Brinkley Blog we will examine all the recent news about flossing. If you’ve been following along, there has been much debate about whether flossing is actually of benefit. While the opinions seem to vary widely, the team here at Brinkley Dental in Brampton subscribes to the philosophy “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!” In other words, flossing certainly CAN’T HURT you and there is every chance it can actually HELP you, so why not keep doing it?
Here is the essence of the debate. Much of the controversy seems to be centered around a report issued by the American Dietary Guidelines Committee (not the American Dental Association) which didn’t include flossing in their most recent Dietary Guidelines. This wasn’t because it has fallen out of favour however. Rather, it’s because the government agency chose to place a greater emphasis on sugar intake in an effort to curb poor dietary habits. They, as do we, still maintain that flossing helps prevent the build up of bacteria between teeth as well as playing an active role in the prevention of plaque build up. According to the US. Department of Health and Human Services, is still “an important oral hygiene practice.”*1 The ADA and CDA, separate from this report, were quick to point out that flossing should remain an integral part of your dental routine whether one uses floss or an interdental cleaner.
So there you have it, Dentists almost universally agree, flossing is a practice best maintained. Certainly there is no hard evidence to suggest that flossing is in any way harmful to your teeth and gums unless you describe yourself as particularly exuberant when doing so. If that’s the case, we simply recommend you apply a “slow and steady” approach to your flossing efforts. Bottom line, no matter how you floss, you keep it up! The fact is – flossing is more beneficial than not – so keep up the good work! As always, Brinkley Dental thanks you for stopping in, reading and commenting on our blogs and reminds you, ”don’t forget to be a BFF with your mouth and Brush that SMILE!” *ADA.org
