In the United States, dental floss has been part of oral hygiene recommendations since 1979. It has found its place in the Dietary Guidelines for Americansthe 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 wax-covered wire helps limit the return of dental plaque. In France, dentists recommend its use in the eveningafter brushing and rinsing the mouth.
It modestly reduces the risk of inflammation
But after reviewing the existing studies, the American health authorities have just removed dental floss from their hygiene recommendations and in a press release published on Tuesday, the American Academy of Periodontology acknowledges that these studies have not been able to include enough patients to “really check the interest of dental floss on the health of the gums”.
They acknowledge that silk thread modestly reduces the risk inflammation of the gums but don’t fight dental plaqueresponsible 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 gather from these studies is quite 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 the guidelines would now focus more on the impact of sugars on dental health.
Read also :
Cavities: beware of certain medications
Dental hygiene: new recommendations