The reasoning behind flossing makes a lot of sense:
1. You remove food sources for streptococcus mutans
2. You avoid inflammation from teeth shifting
3. You disrupt biofilm (plaque) formation in the joints of your teeth
I imagine the evidence is limited because genetics, diet and other oral hygiene routines significantly impact the outcome. There is a whole microflora system in your mouth, and the advice is to throw everything (floss, scrape tongue, mouthwash, brush) at it for everyone because personalising it is not worth the effort.
Yeah, but these same arguments apply in favor to the diode laser treatment the original article talks about. There is biological and chemical reasoning behind it. There are favorable vitro studies. And a couple of the systematic reviews linked in the original article conclude there is weak evidence that it is weakly effective (same with flossing).
I appreciate what you’re saying, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the cost of a single diode laser treatment can supply you with enough floss for an entire lifetime.
If the service was being provided for by the dentist for $1 I don’t think the author would have cared so much about the evidence behind it. Floss is just so incredibly cheap that even with weak evidence behind it it’s worth doing —- having just a 0.1% benefit, even if it’s just placebo, still has it being worthwhile.
The reasoning behind flossing makes a lot of sense:
1. You remove food sources for streptococcus mutans
2. You avoid inflammation from teeth shifting
3. You disrupt biofilm (plaque) formation in the joints of your teeth
I imagine the evidence is limited because genetics, diet and other oral hygiene routines significantly impact the outcome. There is a whole microflora system in your mouth, and the advice is to throw everything (floss, scrape tongue, mouthwash, brush) at it for everyone because personalising it is not worth the effort.