Dental floss

[2] The American Dental Association claims that up to 80% of plaque can be removed by flossing, and it may confer a particular benefit in individuals with orthodontic devices.

[3] However, empirical scientific evidence demonstrating the clinical benefit of flossing as an adjunct to routine tooth brushing alone remains limited.

[3] Levi Spear Parmly (1790-1859), a dentist from New Orleans, is credited with inventing the first form of dental floss.

[4] In 1819, he recommended running a waxen silk thread "through the interstices of the teeth, between their necks and the arches of the gum, to dislodge that irritating matter which no brush can remove and which is the real source of disease.

[7] Nylon floss was found to be better than silk because of its greater abrasion resistance and ability to be produced in great lengths and at various sizes.

Dental floss that is made of monofilaments coated in wax slides easily between teeth, does not fray and is generally higher in cost than its uncoated counterparts.

[11] The American Dental Association has stated that flossing in combination with brushing of teeth can help prevent gum disease[13] and halitosis.

A 2008 systematic review concluded that adjunct flossing was no more effective than tooth brushing alone in reducing plaque or gingivitis.

A 2006 review of 6 studies in which professionals flossed the teeth of school children over a period of 1.7 years showed a 40% reduction in the risk of tooth decay.

[17] In all, 35 randomized control trials met the criteria for inclusion, with all but 2 studies at high risk for performance bias.

As many authors note, the efficacy of flossing may be highly variable based on individual preference, technique, and motivation.

[20] Guidelines published in 2000, 2005 and 2010[21] recommended flossing as part of a combined approach to preventing dental diseases.

The article tied the omission to the AP's Freedom of Information Request to the departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture where it asked for the scientific evidence behind the Guidelines' flossing recommendation noting that "The guidelines must be based on scientific evidence, under the law."

The story was picked up by other news organizations including The New York Times in an article entitled "Feeling Guilty About Not Flossing?

As reported by Medscape An HHS spokesperson explained in an e-mailed statement that "since neither the 2010 nor 2015 Advisory Committees reviewed evidence on brushing and flossing teeth, the authors of the current edition decided not to carry forward the information on brushing and flossing included in past editions of the guidelines.

[31] Furthermore, fixed appliances makes plaque control more challenging and restricts the natural cleaning action of the tongue, lips, and cheek to remove food and bacterial debris from tooth surfaces, and also creates new plaque stagnation areas that stimulate the colonisation of pathogenic bacteria.

[37] In 1963, James B. Kirby invented a tooth-cleaning device that resembles an archaic version of today's F-shaped floss pick.

[39] In the same year, another inventor named Harry Selig Katz came up with a method of making a disposable dental floss tooth pick.