Study Shows Smart Floss is the Best Floss, 55% More Effective

[caption id="attachment_153" align="alignright" width="362"] Smart Floss® was up to 55% more effective than other leading floss types in a 2004 case study.[/caption] In a 2004 study, research demonstrated and concluded not only that all floss removes plaque, but also that Dr. Tung's Smart Floss® is the best floss versus other commonly found dental floss types on the market. The study sought to find out if Smart Floss® was the best floss concerning plaque removal and gum bleeding reduction versus three of the most commonly used floss types. The objective of the study was to determine which of the four floss types was the best floss and most effective floss.   The study's approach was to further the notion that full oral hygiene involves the cleaning of all teeth surfaces. This includes the top and outer surfaces of a tooth using a toothbrush, as well as those areas between the teeth which a toothbrush cannot reach. Cleaning these interdental spaces requires another dental tool, such as dental floss, to remove all food residue and plaque. Patients & Products The trial consisted of 40 patients, who were divided into four groups. Each patient was then given one of the four types of floss (differentiated by a non-labeled, color-coded container):

• The first group used a green floss container, which contained a waxed dental floss (similar to Oral B traditional waxed dental floss).
• The second group used a blue floss container, which contained a monofilament dental floss (similar to Gore Glide floss).
• The third group used a neutral floss container, which contained a fine dental floss (similar to Butler Fine unwaxed floss).
• The fourth group used a white floss container, which contained the Dr. Tung's Smart Floss®.

The Method At the beginning and end of the trial, each patient was examined based on the following measurements:

• The bacterial plaque index (e.g. the amount of plaque), applying O’LEARY’s (PCR) technique, using a bi-tonal plaque indicator;
• The bleeding index, applying the (GBI) AIMANO and BAY technique.

After each patient was examined, they were then educated about proper oral hygiene, including toothbrushing and flossing technique. Two weeks later they were reexamined. Findings At the end of only a two week trial, all patients showed oral hygiene improvement from the habitual use of proper toothbrushing and flossing. This points to the fact that a daily flossing habit will help to reduce plaque buildup and gum bleeding. What's more is that the difference between each group was significantly different, particularly when looking at the Smart Floss® results: Smart Floss® was up to 55% more effective than other flosses in the trial, thus making it the best floss. Furthermore, those patients with moderate to severe periodontitis who used Smart Floss® saw even more significant results in plaque removal. The Smart Floss® Difference Patients using Smart Floss in the trial saw a 70% reduction in plaque buildup. This points to the significant difference that floss quality makes. The worst scores were found in those patients using PTFE (similar to Glide) and fine floss, found in the blue and neutral containers, while those patients using a non-thin, non-PTFE floss (found in the green and white containers) saw better improvement. [caption id="attachment_145" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The SmartFloss difference.[/caption] This is because floss that is not too thin or too slippery, such as Smart Floss®, is able to disturb and remove more plaque for the user. Smart Floss® is lightly waxed with a natural blend of vegetable and bees wax (no petrochemical wax) and by expanding, it has more surface area to better clean interdental spaces. The study showed that in general, cleaning was proportional to surface area of the floss, with the smoothest, PTFE floss being the exception and faring worst. For full technical details of each floss type, all summarized findings, etc., take a look here: "Experimentation in plaque control in the interproximal spaces using dental floss," Genoa University, January 2004.