To Floss or Not to Floss? The re Rea l l y I s No Ques t i on
Last August, a report from the Associated Press turned the dental world on its head. Therein, AP wrote that there’s no scientific evidence to support the medical benefits of flossing. Yet here we are, almost a year later, and dentists everywhere are still reminding their patients to floss during every visit. So, what’s the deal?
After the AP report flooded the news, the American Dental Association openly admitted there was a lack of research that supports flossing. However, the lack of scientific evidence does not mean flossing isn’t good for your oral health; it means we haven’t been able to fund the 30 years of research it would take to “prove” flossing is helpful. Studies on flossing aren’t usually exciting enough to win research grants.
Patients are encouraged to floss to prevent gum disease. While brushing cleans away plaque on your teeth, the wide bristles can’t do much for the plaque between your teeth. It’s this plaque that can build up, form tartar, and cause your gums to become inflamed and bleed, leading to gingivitis. Flossing removes the plaque your toothbrush can’t reach and cleans out the pockets in your gums. Dentists don’t need expensive research to know flossing is important; they see it firsthand every day
when they look into the mouths of countless patients.
After the initial celebration of “no more flossing!” faded, most people recognized the holes in the report and agreed they should probably stick to the dental regimen recommended by their dentist. So, when Dr. Jason or Dr. A mention flossing during your next visit, don’t be upset — they wouldn’t bring it up if they didn’t care about you.
Leah’s Bad Dad Joke of the Month
Curry Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients •
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets 1 fennel bulb, fronds removed, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons ghee, melted 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast*
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1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
Whenever the cashier at the grocery store asks my dad if he would like the milk in a bag, he replies: “No, just leave it in the carton.”
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½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon coriander
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½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
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Chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, add florets and fennel along with ghee and toss to coat. Then add the other ingredients and toss again. 3. Place in the oven to bake for 35 minutes or until slightly browned. 4. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley on top!
*Nutritional yeast is not required, but it gives the dish a cheesy flavor, so is recommended.
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jasonschermerdds.com
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