Sheri's Solutions: Flossing debate

"It's interesting how the flossing debate left the news so quickly," a very astute patient opined the other day.

He continued, "I don't understand how people don't think flossing is important. I get stuff out between my teeth every time I floss."

Sheri B. Doniger, DDS.

Well, wouldn't we like to have all our patients so motivated to get the floss out. The sad reality is that flossing had its moment in the sun a few months ago, and now the conversation in the media is over.

I always find these to be great teachable moments in our practice. When patients truly are interested in their oral care, they help us help them. Understandably, flossing pales in contrast to many of the recent local and national news stories. But, its importance (or at least the importance of interdental care) never seems to go too far from the dental spotlight.

We recently had a patient return after a long hiatus from the office, and he, admittedly, was not into flossing. He had a few interproximal lesions that needed attention.

Every office has seen this: a patient poor oral hygiene coupled with a poor diet and also a lack of routine dental care. We had the conversation with him about missing at least 35% of your tooth when you don't floss. It didn't inspire him to floss previously, but the hard reality of dental professional fees has changed his mind.

A new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association discusses the risk of periodontal disease and tooth loss in postmenopausal women. They appear to be at a higher risk of mortality than their disease-free, dentate women friends.

I found this to be an informative study and a great conversation starter for many of my friends who are "women of a certain age." Flossing plays a huge role in periodontal health. If not flossing, than patients need to utilize some other form of robust interdental cleaning routine to remove the biofilm between teeth.

While the flossing debate has left the stage for a while, we need to continue the conversation with our patients every day. I have long said that we have the ability to put ourselves out of business if each and every patient would have optimal home care.

Well, yes, this is a little far-fetched, since there are so many factors in both dental caries and periodontal disease aside from a compliant patient. Regardless, our flossing debate continues in the office -- each and every day. It should always be a part of the preventive wellness conversation in addition to the restorative discussions. It's more than for their dental health. It's for their systemic health as well.

Sheri B. Doniger, DDS, practices clinical dentistry in Lincolnwood, IL. She is the immediate past president of the American Association of Women Dentists. She has served as an educator in several dental and dental hygiene programs, has been a consultant for a major dental benefits company, and has written for several dental publications. You can reach her at [email protected].

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