Flossing may be tedious, but it is a vital and irreplaceable component of oral hygiene. There is no substitute for routine, mechanical flossing,” said Dr. Philip J. Hanes, chair of the MCG School of Dentistry Department of Periodontics, countering recent publicity that mouthwash may produce comparable results.

Regular flossing removes bacteria and food from hard-to-reach areas between the teeth, minimizing the risk of bacterial buildup and infection.

“Recent studies looked at the effects of phenol-based mouthwash vs. flossing on gingivitis (early-stage gum disease) only, so the results cannot be extended to include similar effects of periodontitis,” he said.

Periodontitis is the more severe form of gum disease that includes loss of bone support to the teeth and the presence of deep pockets in the gum surrounding the teeth. Left untreated, periodontitis can lead to tooth loss, malnutrition, halitosis and systemic infection.

“The shortcoming of oral rinses is their inability to get into these pockets around the teeth to exert an antibacterial effect,” Dr. Hanes said.

Mouth rinses can be a useful supplement to oral hygiene, he said, particularly for patients who need extra fluoride, those with persistent halitosis and those with mouth problems that interfere with normal brushing and flossing. But the vast majority of the population can and should floss daily, Dr. Hanes said.

“Only a very, very small percentage of patients floss on a daily basis,” he said. “Most only do so to remove food lodged between their teeth.”

Even if non-flossers lack noticeable symptoms, such as bleeding and/or tender gums, the cumulative damage is virtually unavoidable, Dr. Hanes said. Regular flossing greatly enhances the odds of healthy teeth that last a lifetime. He recommends consulting one’s dentist or periodontist about the proper flossing technique.

“Rather than replacing flossing with a mouth rinse,” he said, “the best approach is to supplement flossing with the mouth rinse.” .