My kids were thrilled to see the news this week proclaiming that they didn’t need to floss their teeth anymore. Apparently, there isn’t any good research showing that flossing can prevent cavities or gum disease. In this context, “good research” means long-term, controlled studies comparing flossing to not flossing.
But most dentists agree that flossing is a good idea, even if there isn’t much research to support it. The bottom line is this: Just because there isn’t research to prove that something is good for your health does not mean that it is necessarily bad!
If you aren’t convinced, consider this: there are no long-term controlled trials examining the effect of parachutes on survival or serious injury during skydiving, but no one (well, maybe one person) would consider jumping out of an airplane without one.
So, flossing, like using a parachute, is something you should do, regardless of the evidence.
Nutrition, exercise, and health information can be confusing. But it doesn't have to be that way. What can I help you with? drbrianparr@gmail.com | http://twitter.com/drbrianparr
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