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Dental tip of the day6/22/2023 10Ī 2011 Cochrane systematic review evaluating the evidence for the impact of flossing on managing gingivitis 11 found that by the standards of the GRADE Working Group, the evidence on this question was of very low quality, due to uncertainty about the estimate because of the small number of studies, sample sizes, and some concerns regarding interpretation of the results. The authors recommended that future trials report participant periodontal status according to the new periodontal diseases classification, and last long enough to measure outcomes for interproximal caries and periodontitis. Overall, the evidence was graded as low to very low-certainty, and the effect sizes observed may not be clinically important. Outcomes were mostly measured in the short term (i.e., 1 to 3 months) and participants in most studies had a low level of baseline gingival inflammation. 10 Available evidence for tooth-cleaning sticks and oral irrigators was reported to be limited and inconsistent. The authors found that use of floss or interdental brushes in addition to toothbrushing may reduce gingivitis or plaque, or both, more than toothbrushing alone and that interdental brushes may be more effective than floss. 5Ī 2019 Cochrane review 10 on home-use of interdental cleaning devices in addition to toothbrushing for preventing or controlling periodontal disease or dental caries found no randomized, controlled trials assessing effect on interproximal caries and very few studies evaluating periodontitis. ![]() Department of Health and Human Services also reaffirmed flossing as "an important oral hygiene practice" in an August 2016 communication to ADA News. 1 A news release from the ADA 4 reaffirmed the use of an interdental cleaner (like floss) as an essential part of taking care of teeth and gums. 3 Dental floss and other interdental cleaners help clean these hard-to-reach tooth surfaces and reduce the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay. Interdental cleaning helps remove debris and interproximal dental plaque, the plaque that collects between two teeth. 3 The choice between technique type should be made in relation to the characteristics of the patient for example, dental floss could be indicated in individuals with closed interdental spaces, and interproximal brushes in patients with periodontitis or in those with more open interproximal spaces. Interproximal cleaning techniques (e.g., manual or powered interdental cleaners, water flossers, interdental brushes), appear to add benefits in plaque reduction when used in association with conventional manual brushes. This condition is called gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. 3 When this happens, brushing and cleaning between teeth become more difficult, and gum tissue can become swollen or may bleed. Plaque that is not removed can harden into tartar, a hard mineral deposit that forms on teeth and can only be removed through professional cleaning by a dental professional. ![]() 1 Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. ![]() Dental floss (or dental tape) and other interdental cleaners (e.g., small brushes, special wooden or plastic picks, sticks or water flossers) removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it has a chance to harden into plaque.
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