Newsletter
CHICAGO, USA: Dental associations across the globe recommend regular flossing in addition to daily brushing to remove dental plaque, one of the primary causes of oral disease. A recent survey, however, has found that a considerable number of U.S. adults are dishonest with their dentist about how often they use dental floss and would choose cleaning the toilet over flossing, among other unpleasant activities.
The survey was conducted online in March 2015 among over 2,000 adults from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas–Fort Worth, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, Atlanta and Houston. It was commissioned by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP).
About 27 percent of the participants admitted that they lie to their dentist about how often they floss their teeth. In addition, approximately 14 percent stated that they would rather clean the toilet than floss daily, and 18 percent preferred washing the dishes to flossing. Up to 9 percent said that they would rather sit in gridlock traffic for an hour or do their taxes.
Overall, the survey showed that the public needs to be educated on periodontal disease. AAP President Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel said, "There's clearly more work to be done when it comes to educating Americans about the importance of oral hygiene. There are more than 500 bacterial species that can be found in plaque, and brushing alone does not remove the bacteria that live below the gum line."
According to a report published in 2012 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 50 percent of adults aged 30 and over in the U.S. have some form of periodontitis, which is primarily caused by plaque. The prevalence increases with age. It is estimated that more than 70 percent of adults over 65 have periodontal disease.
