5 Hygiene Topics That Spark Debate
Is floss just a marketing ploy? Is subgingival oral irrigation really necessary? Check out these controversial hygiene topics.
Like most industries, the world of hygiene is one filled with strong opinions. Some hygienists swear by certain brands of toothpaste and mouthwash, while others could spend hours arguing why people should switch to an electric toothbrush and toss their manual one in the trash.
Over the next few pages, we’ve compiled a list of five hot topics that often spark debate among hygienists. Although these topics can be controversial, they can also lead to insightful conversations and better understanding, which ultimately results in improved patient care. Take a look to see which side you fall on in each debate and whether your opinions jive with those of experts.
To floss or not to floss?
On Aug. 2, 2016 the dental world was turned upside down when Jeff Donn released an article titled "Medical benefits of dental floss unproven."
When the article was published, you could hear a collective sound across America of people digging deep in their bathroom drawers and throwing out the years of floss that had been put into their hygiene bags. People were now given permission to not do what so many claimed they did, but didn’t actually do anyway. No more having to make that embarrassing confession to the hygienist every six months when asked, “How often are you flossing?”
Donn’s article cited several reasons that flossing does not help avoid gum disease and that this is nothing more than a marketing ploy by big businesses like Proctor & Gamble to sell this useless piece of string and the American Dental Association (ADA) to charge for the seal of approval to these companies.
