Tell your patients they can stop feeling guilty about not flossing

Despite dentists tirelessly promoting flossing for decades, less than a quarter of Brits do it regularly. A few days ago that was a woeful fact but now non-flossers win because it turns out flossing doesn’t work.

After a request from Associated Press for evidence, the US government admitted that the effectiveness of flossing at removing plaque had never actually been researched. It has since removed its official advice to floss, which had been in place for 37 years.

Most studies only ever looked at dental hygiene over a few weeks rather than investigating long-term changes in gum disease and cavities and some experts actually warn that flossing badly leads to harmful bacteria entering the bloodstream.

This is great news for your patients (who have long endured your silent disappointment for not flossing) so why not be honest with them about it? They can stop feeling guilty now. But they’ll still need regular check-ups and hygiene appointments to protect them from tooth decay and gum disease.

Zac

“It turns out flossing doesn’t work”

Zac Fine, content director