#dental hygiene

Flossing and the Art of Scientific Investigation

In August, a widely read Associated Press report suggested that, contrary to the advice of dentists everywhere, flossing didn’t necessarily foster good oral health. The report looked at 25 studies that had generally compared toothbrushing and flossing with toothbrushing alone and concluded that the evidence for the benefits of flossing was weak.

…Dentists know from a range of evidence, including clinical experience, that interdental cleaning is critical to oral health and that flossing, properly done, works. Yet the notion has taken hold that such expertise is fatally subjective and that only randomized controlled trials provide real knowledge.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

I Grew Up Too Poor To Smile

“We have to pull it. Nothing else is covered.” The dentist would say, looking at me like I should be glad to get even that bit of charity. Tears would fill my eyes as yet another tooth that could have been saved was yanked from my head. 

When I was younger, we were riding in my grandfather’s truck when my grandmother tickled me and I broke my front tooth on the dash, leaving the root exposed.  The next day, we went to the dentist, who performed a root canal and placed a temporary cap on top.  A year ago, I learned that my mother didn’t have dental coverage at the time and that the dentist had provided this service (and many others in my childhood) for free.  I can smile confidently because someone went out of their way for me.  Although no one should be shamed for the state of their oral health, everyone should have the right to a confident smile regardless of their ability to pay.

50% OFF TOOTHY SALE! 

This tooth didn’t quite pass our quality control standards. It has flaws, but don’t we all? The defects in these teeth vary – many of them have a kind of “fang” effect (like shown in pic) but it’s actually pretty darn cute.

Toothbrush

Thetoothbrush is an oral hygiene instrument used to clean the teeth, gums, and tongue. It consists of a head of tightly clustered bristle, atop of which toothpaste can be applied, mounted on a handle which facilitates the cleaning of hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

Over 1 billion toothbrushes are disposed of into landfills annually in the United States alone. $

‘Caught soon enough, early tooth decay can actually be repaired by Colgate!’

Colgate toothpaste advertisement (1983).