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>Flossing has quietly lost its place among recommendations for daily health, at least as prescribed in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are issued ev

>Flossing has quietly lost its place among recommendations for daily health, at least as prescribed in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are issued every five years by the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture. and >"In large epidemiological studies, the evidence for flossing turns out to be fairly weak," says Tim Iafolla, a dentist with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/08/02/488378699/does-flossing-help-or-not-the-evidence-is-mixed-at-best https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/08/02/4883786...

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
I wonder then what is an adequate means of reducing plaque. I never get cavities, but my teeth are starting to see the signs of having problems with plaque, so I wonder what a good option is.
- astura 8y ago
  Brushing your teeth?
  - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
    Well yes, but that's not enough to prevent plaque buildup, especially in hard to reach areas of your mouth. Apparently floss isn't either, so I'm wondering what is.
- mntmoss 8y ago
  I've been in a similar situation(never a cavity) and started getting some warnings from my dentist about sore gums and decay years ago, which led to some self-studies. They have gone something like this: * Reducing the source of decay is #1, especially acidity. Swap out coffee, tea and soda for water more frequently and you get a huge boost immediately. * If #1 fails you can still aim to reduce acidity over time with e.g. having more milk or immediately brushing with toothpaste. Milk's proported function in "building healthy teeth" is probably more attributable to this rinsing property than any of the nutritional aspects. * I experimented with primarily flossing over brushing. Even though the crevices were clean, gum soreness went up overall. The opposite way around, primarily brushing with occasional flossing, the plaque can build up somewhat, but it does not result in pain. * Yes, supplementation can do something here. I went in cycles on and off Vitamin D3, and pain went up off it and down once on it again. Anyway, I have managed to quit the beverages, and occasional brushing with less occasional flossing seems to be doing the trick.
  - bitwize 8y ago
    Milk is slightly acid though. You'd think as a rinse it would be somewhat less ideal than water.
  - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
    > If #1 fails you can still aim to reduce acidity over time with e.g. having more milk or immediately brushing with toothpaste. They say don't brush with toothpaste immediately - you're taking softened enamel and scrubbing it off with the toothbrush. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/brushing-your-teeth/faq-20058193?_ga=2.245775175.235478842.1554750499-1839525281.1553625552 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/ex... For me it's a combination of below gumline wear due to plaque and grinding - doesn't seem to be acid based.
- ldiracdelta 8y ago
  Xylitol is supposed to be good for oral health. You can buy 5 lbs of it for $30 on Amazon and swish with a teaspoon of it right before you go to bed. That 5 lbs of xylitol will last one person more than a year. https://www.amazon.com/XyloSweet-Non-GMO-Sweetener-Granules-Resealable/dp/B000ORSIJ4/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=xylitol&qid=1554757224&s=gateway&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/XyloSweet-Non-GMO-Sweetener-Granules-...
  - jhayward 8y ago
    Just a note that dog owners should be aware that xylitol is deadly to canines. [1] Xylitol is found in sugarless gum, toothpaste, some foods, and some deodorants. [1] https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/xylitol-toxicity-in-dogs https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/xylitol-toxicity-in-d...
  - mudl 8y ago
    Dental hygiene is terrible in Japan, but people LOVE Xylitol gum here.
Dirlewanger 8y ago
Horrible, horrible advice. Brushing, especially with a non-electric toothbrush, comes no where close to cleaning out all of the debris between one's teeth. The problem seems to be that all the studies were too short to make definitive conclusions on flossing's effects.
- vmh1928 8y ago
  Using an oral irrigation device like a Waterpik can get the particles between the teeth and in pockets under the gum line that brushing and flossing don't get. You'd be surprised, if you don't Waterpik regularly, at how many particles are dislodged into the sink even after brushing with an electric (Oral B) toothbrush. I find Flossing helps to scrape plaque off the tooth surface between teeth but isn't that great at particle removal. Remember that plaque is really a biofilm so by brushing and flossing you break up the biofilm. The oral irrigator removes the food particles (and blasts the bits of biofilm knocked loose,) from between the teeth. Follow up with some sort of mouthwash now that the biofilm is disturbed.

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago

I wonder then what is an adequate means of reducing plaque. I never get cavities, but my teeth are starting to see the signs of having problems with plaque, so I wonder what a good option is.

astura 8y ago
Brushing your teeth?
- SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
  Well yes, but that's not enough to prevent plaque buildup, especially in hard to reach areas of your mouth. Apparently floss isn't either, so I'm wondering what is.
mntmoss 8y ago
I've been in a similar situation(never a cavity) and started getting some warnings from my dentist about sore gums and decay years ago, which led to some self-studies. They have gone something like this: * Reducing the source of decay is #1, especially acidity. Swap out coffee, tea and soda for water more frequently and you get a huge boost immediately. * If #1 fails you can still aim to reduce acidity over time with e.g. having more milk or immediately brushing with toothpaste. Milk's proported function in "building healthy teeth" is probably more attributable to this rinsing property than any of the nutritional aspects. * I experimented with primarily flossing over brushing. Even though the crevices were clean, gum soreness went up overall. The opposite way around, primarily brushing with occasional flossing, the plaque can build up somewhat, but it does not result in pain. * Yes, supplementation can do something here. I went in cycles on and off Vitamin D3, and pain went up off it and down once on it again. Anyway, I have managed to quit the beverages, and occasional brushing with less occasional flossing seems to be doing the trick.
- bitwize 8y ago
  Milk is slightly acid though. You'd think as a rinse it would be somewhat less ideal than water.
- SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
  > If #1 fails you can still aim to reduce acidity over time with e.g. having more milk or immediately brushing with toothpaste. They say don't brush with toothpaste immediately - you're taking softened enamel and scrubbing it off with the toothbrush. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/brushing-your-teeth/faq-20058193?_ga=2.245775175.235478842.1554750499-1839525281.1553625552 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/ex... For me it's a combination of below gumline wear due to plaque and grinding - doesn't seem to be acid based.
ldiracdelta 8y ago
Xylitol is supposed to be good for oral health. You can buy 5 lbs of it for $30 on Amazon and swish with a teaspoon of it right before you go to bed. That 5 lbs of xylitol will last one person more than a year. https://www.amazon.com/XyloSweet-Non-GMO-Sweetener-Granules-Resealable/dp/B000ORSIJ4/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=xylitol&qid=1554757224&s=gateway&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/XyloSweet-Non-GMO-Sweetener-Granules-...
- jhayward 8y ago
  Just a note that dog owners should be aware that xylitol is deadly to canines. [1] Xylitol is found in sugarless gum, toothpaste, some foods, and some deodorants. [1] https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/xylitol-toxicity-in-dogs https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/xylitol-toxicity-in-d...
- mudl 8y ago
  Dental hygiene is terrible in Japan, but people LOVE Xylitol gum here.

Dirlewanger 8y ago

Horrible, horrible advice. Brushing, especially with a non-electric toothbrush, comes no where close to cleaning out all of the debris between one's teeth. The problem seems to be that all the studies were too short to make definitive conclusions on flossing's effects.

vmh1928 8y ago
Using an oral irrigation device like a Waterpik can get the particles between the teeth and in pockets under the gum line that brushing and flossing don't get. You'd be surprised, if you don't Waterpik regularly, at how many particles are dislodged into the sink even after brushing with an electric (Oral B) toothbrush. I find Flossing helps to scrape plaque off the tooth surface between teeth but isn't that great at particle removal. Remember that plaque is really a biofilm so by brushing and flossing you break up the biofilm. The oral irrigator removes the food particles (and blasts the bits of biofilm knocked loose,) from between the teeth. Follow up with some sort of mouthwash now that the biofilm is disturbed.