Should you still keep flossing? Have you recently heard that flossing doesn’t help your teeth? The Associated Press reported in August that there is no solid evidence that flossing actually helps your teeth. In actual fact, the findings of the Cochrane review did not conclude that flossing isn’t worthwhile. Instead, the review examined previous studies which focused on the benefits of flossing and concluded that the studies conducted weren’t of high quality. The review does not state that there are no benefits to flossing, just that more research needs to be done. However, the research did emphasize that “people who brush and floss regularly have less gum bleeding compared to tooth brushing alone”.
So don’t throw away your floss quite yet! Every day at Park Street Dental we see first-hand that people who floss have fewer cavities, less gum disease, and better overall health in general.
You wouldn’t wash only one side of a dirty dish, and then put it back in the cupboard to use again tomorrow, would you? Brushing your teeth cleans the front and back surfaces of your teeth, but flossing cleans the nooks and crannies—the sides of your teeth and gum lines. Regular flossing, with brushing, keeps harmful bacteria and plaque away. Faithful flossers also typically have shorter and easier dental hygiene appointments. And at Park Street Dental, we’re passionate about providing you with comfortable oral health care.