Dental Tribune U.S. Edition No. 9, 2016

Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | September 2016 a3 From page 1 address and improve oral health.” According to the ADA, interdental cleaners such as floss are an essential part of taking care of teeth and gums. Cleaning between teeth removes plaque that can lead to cavities or gum disease from the areas where a toothbrush can’t reach. Interdental cleaning is proven to help remove debris between teeth that can contribute to plaque buildup. Individuals advised to consult with their dentists on flossing The ADA reports that there are more than 500 bacterial species in plaque; some are good and some are bad for oral hygiene. Together with food debris, water and oth- er components, plaque buildup around the teeth and on the gum line will con- tribute to disease in teeth and gums. Whether individuals use floss or an- other interdental cleaner is a personal preference, but it’s important to under- stand, according to the ADA, the proper technique for each tool so that it is effec- tive. Patients are advised to talk to their dentists about how to use interdental cleaners to ensure efficacy. The ADA continues to recommend brushing for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, cleaning be- tween teeth once a day with an interden- tal cleaner and regular dental visits as advised by the individual’s dentist. The Health and Human Services state- ment also acknowledged that while den- tal floss — along with brushing teeth and using fluoridated water — was men- tioned in past editions of the guidelines (in both 2005 and 2010), “it was most likely identified as a supporting recom- mendation along with brushing teeth, with the primary emphasis being on the nutrition-based recommendation to re- “ FLOSSING, page A1 duce added sugars.” Brushing and flossing have never been an integral part of the dietary guidelines, which are designed primarily to provide evidence-based food and beverage rec- ommendations for U.S. citizens. The Health and Human Services state- ment said, “Since neither the 2010 nor 2015 Advisory Committees (for the guidelines) reviewed evidence on brush- ing and flossing teeth, the authors of the current edition decided not to carry for- ward the information on brushing and flossing included in past editions of the guidelines. By doing so, they were not implying that this is not an important oral hygiene practice.” ADA-members practitioners can direct their patients to the ADA consumer web- site www.MouthHealthy.org for more in- formation about flossing. (Source: American Dental Association) Publisher & Chairman Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com President & Chief Executive Officer Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com Group Editor Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com Editor in Chief Dental Tribune Dr. David L. Hoexter feedback@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor U.S. and Canada editions Robert Selleck r.selleck@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor Fred Michmershuizen f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com Product/Account Manager Humberto Estrada h.estrada@dental-tribune.com Product/Account Manager Will Kenyon w.kenyon@dental-tribune.com Product/Account Manager Maria Kaiser m.kaiser@dental-tribune.com CLIENT RELATIONS Manager Leerol Colquhoun l.colquhoun@dental-tribune.com Education Director Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com Accounting Coordinator Nirmala Singh n.singh@dental-tribune.com Tribune America LLC 116 West 23rd St., Ste. #500 New York, N.Y. 10011 (212) 244-7181 Published by Tribune America © 2016 Tribune America, LLC All rights reserved. Dental Tribune strives to maintain the utmost accu- racy in its news and clinical reports. If you find a fac- tual error or content that requires clarification, please contact Managing Editor Robert Selleck at r.selleck@ dental-tribune.com. Dental Tribune cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims or for typographical errors. The publisher also does not as- sume responsibility for product names or statements made by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and may not reflect those of Tribune America. Editorial Board Dr. Joel Berg Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan Dr. Arnaldo Castellucci Dr. Gorden Christensen Dr. Rella Christensen Dr. William Dickerson Hugh Doherty Dr. James Doundoulakis Dr. David Garber Dr. Fay Goldstep Dr. Howard Glazer Dr. Harold Heymann Dr. Karl Leinfelder Dr. Roger Levin Dr. Carl E. Misch Dr. Dan Nathanson Dr. Chester Redhead Dr. Irwin Smigel Dr. Jon Suzuki Dr. Dennis Tartakow Dr. Dan Ward Tell us what you think! Do you have general comments or criti- cism you would like to share? 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Dental Tribune U.S. Edition No. 9, 2016

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