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Is flossing your teeth a waste of time?: Dentists nag us about it. Scientists insist it prevents heart disease. But now an expert says they’ve all got it wrong
By Lucy Elkins
PUBLISHED:21:36 EST, 22 November 2012| UPDATED:15:53 EST, 23 November 2012
Visits to the dentist are never pleasant. Not only do we have our pearly whites scraped, prodded and drilled, we then have to endure a telling-off for not having flossed.
Dentists insist it will keep our teeth sparkling and free from decay, as well as keeping our gums healthy. Regular flossing has even been said to protect us from heart disease.
Yet, for most of us who try wrestling with the tape, it only results in a cricked neck and bleeding gums.
And now, according to a provocative new book, Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, it seems that dedicated followers of flossing could actually be wasting their time.
Good habit: But a leading dental expert says flossing is next to useless if done incorrectly
The book is causing waves because it’s written by U.S.-based Dr Ellie Phillips, who was among the first women dentists to train at Guy’s Hospital in London.
She says that flossing — and that goes for whichever gizmo, gadget or bit of tape you choose to use — will do nothing to reduce your risk of tooth decay.
