Everything we ever knew about flossing has been completely shattered.
Flossing daily has always been pushed as a preventative measure to fight cavities and gum disease by dentists, the federal government, and in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. However, the Associated Press did some digging and found out that there isn’t actually enough proof to support this statement.
But get this — flossing wasn’t include in the most recent dietary guidelines and the federal government issued a letter to AP stating that they never researched the effectiveness of flossing…which is required. AP also did an extensive research on previous studies on floss and discovered that using floss is “weak, very unreliable.” Studies failed to prove that floss is effective in plaque removal.
The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Periodontology argue that other studies prove the benefits of floss and how it “prevents buildup of gunk known as plaque, early gum inflammation called gingivitis, and tooth decay.” However, AP noted these studies on floss weren’t effectively carried out.
Despite the little to no scientific evidence, Wayne Aldredge, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, still recommends people to floss daily to avoid gum disease.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!
xx, The FabFitFun Team
