The effectiveness of dental flossing has been called into question following a report by the Associated Press (AP) global news agency. In August 2016, Associated Press circulated a story that claimed evidence in support of flossing was “weak and unreliable.” The news agency based this conclusion on a new statement by the federal government that recommendations for flossing were not substantiated by research.However, shaky evidence in favour of flossing is not proof that it’s ineffective, and it may well be that the research was limited or flawed. The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) insists that the fragility of evidence backing the value of flossing reflects the “difficulty of conducting the necessary studies” – not the effectiveness of flossing itself. The CDA maintains that flossing, along with a healthy diet and regular dental check-ups, is important for oral healthcare.
