Recent reports on flossing have Americans confused.
As Tuesday’s New York Times reported, “the latest dietary guidelines for Americans, issued by the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, quietly dropped any mention of flossing without notice. This week, The Associated Press reported that officials had never researched the effectiveness of regular flossing, as required, before cajoling Americans to do it.”
The confusion is justified. People have been urged for decades to floss daily and many feel guilty if they don’t accomplish that goal.
On the news that there is no research proving the benefits of flossing, local St. Louis dentist Dr. Holly Ellis, of Ellis Dental in Crestwood, says she has never seen a patient get worse from flossing.
She continues to say, “In fact, when my non-flossing patients begin to floss beautiful things happen. Their teeth are cleaner, their gums are healthier, and they have less bleeding (a sign of infection).”
Ellis agrees with Dr. Aldredge, president of American Academy of Periodontology who was quoted in this AP article saying "the impact of floss might be clearer if researchers focused on patients at the highest risk of gum disease, such as diabetics and smokers."
“In my practice,” Ellis went on to say, “we monitor our patients hygiene at regular intervals and have never found a negative impact with flossing. I continue to recommend it to everyone.”
Ellis holds a Bachelor of Science degree in cell/molecular biology from Missouri State University. She graduated from the School of Dentistry at the University of Missouri – Kansas City with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 2006. She began her career working as an associate dentist for a practice in Kirkwood, Mo.
Throughout her career, Ellis has dedicated herself to furthering the dental profession and is an active participate in continuing education classes and professional associations. She has completed many courses at the esteemed Dawson Academy and Spear Education Center, as well as other continuing education classes in all disciplines in dentistry. Ellis is a member of the following professional organizations:
- Greater St. Louis Dental Society
- Missouri Dental Association
- American Dental Association
- Missouri Valley Dental Study Club
- Spear Study Club
- Academy of General Dentistry
- Crestwood/Sunset Hills Chamber of Commerce
- Missouri State University Alumni Association
About Ellis Dental
Founded in 2009 by Dr. Holly Ellis, Ellis Dental is a state-of-the-art dental practice dedicated to providing more than 1,900 patients with comprehensive dental care that not only focuses on attaining their optimal oral health, but also incorporates their overall well being. Ellis Dental serves patients of all ages, customizing all dental care to each individual patients’ needs. Ellis Dental is committed to using only the highest quality dental materials, operating best-in-class equipment and incorporating leading-edge techniques into every patient’s visit to ensure the best possible outcomes. The practice is located at 10296 Big Bend Boulevard, 63122. More information is available at: ellisdental.com and Facebook.
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