Priority 21 from the Oral and Dental Health PSP
| UNCERTAINTY: Is cleaning in between teeth needed for maintaining good oral health? (JLA PSP Priority 21) | |
|---|---|
| Overall ranking | 21 |
| JLA question ID | 0079/21 |
| Explanatory note |
Not available for this PSP |
| Evidence |
Numerous systematic reviews of interdental brushing (IDB) and flossing of varying quality. All based on trials of unclear/high risk of bias. Flossing: people who brush and floss regularly have less gum bleeding compared to toothbrushing alone. There was weak evidence of a possible small reduction in plaque. No information on other measurements such as tooth decay because the trials were not long enough. For full details of the evidence checked, please see the spreadsheet of data held on the JLA website. |
| Health Research Classification System category | Oral and gastrointestinal |
| Extra information provided by this PSP | |
|---|---|
| Original uncertainty examples | Original questions covered the role of flossing or interdental brushes. What is the effectiveness/relative effectiveness of different interdental cleaning methods? If flossing is used, how often? Is it useful for the 'average' patient, not prone to periodontal disease, with minimal instruction? Does flossing help with the prevention of tooth decay, gum disease, dementia, heart disease or other conditions? |
| Submitted by | 10 x patients, carers or members of public, 9 x health professionals, 1 x other |
| PSP information | |
|---|---|
| PSP unique ID | 0079 |
| PSP name | Oral and Dental Health |
| Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP | 38 (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website) |
| Date of priority setting workshop | 12 December 2018 |