In the United States, dental floss has been part of the oral hygiene recommendations since 1979. It has found its place in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the public health guide published every 5 years by the United States Departments of Health and Agriculture.
For decades, dentists have therefore told their patients that this small wire covered with wax limited the return of dental plaque. In France, dentists recommend its use in the evening, after brushing and rinsing the mouth.
It modestly reduces the risk of inflammation
But after reviewing existing studies, US health authorities have just withdrawn dental floss from their hygiene recommendations and in a statement released Tuesday, the American Academy of Periodontology acknowledges that these studies have not been able include enough patients to “to really check the interest of dental floss on the health of the gums”.
They recognize that silk thread modestly reduces the risk inflammation of the gums but don’t fight dental plaque, responsible for cavities.
“Gingivitis is something that takes years to develop, and most studies only last a few weeks or months.” explain the experts. “So the evidence we’re collecting from these studies is pretty indirect. We can see the impact of flossing on bleeding gums or on inflammation, but we have to extrapolate from that evidence for gingivitis.”.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Health added that henceforth the guidelines would focus more on the impact of dental health sugars.
Read also :
Cavities: beware of certain medications
Dental hygiene: the new recommendations
