as reported by medscape an hhs spokesperson explained in an e-mailed statement that "since neither the 2010 nor 2015 advisory committees reviewed evidence on brushing and flossing teeth, the authors of the current edition decided not to carry forward the information on brushing and flossing included in past editions of the guidelines. by doing so, they were not implying that this is not an important oral hygiene practice. it is also important to note that, although dental floss was mentioned in past editions of the guidelines, it was most likely identified as a supporting recommendation along with brushing teeth, with the primary emphasis being on the nutrition-based recommendation to reduce added sugars." the 2010 guidelines mention flossing only once, as one of the components of an oral health regimen. a website managed by a maker of dental floss referred to the entire episode as "flossgate". floss for orthodontic appliances orthodontic appliances, such as brackets, wires, and bands, can harbor plaque with more virulent changes in bacterial composition, which can ultimately cause a reduction in periodontal health as indicated by increased gingival recession, bleeding on probing, and plaque retention measurements. furthermore, fixed appliances makes plaque control more challenging and restricts the natural cleaning action of the tongue, lips, and cheek to remove food and bacterial debris from tooth surfaces, and also creates new plaque stagnation areas that stimulate the colonisation of pathogenic bacteria.floss threaderpatients undergoing orthodontic treatment may be recommended to maintain a high level of plaque control through not only conscientious toothbrushing, but also proximal surface cleaning via interdental aids, with dental floss being the most recommended by dental professionals. notably, small-scale clinical studies have demonstrated that dental floss, when used correctly, may lead to clinically significant improvements in proximal gingival health. floss threader a floss threader is loop of fiber that is shaped in order to produce better handling characteristics. it is (similar to fishing line) used to thread floss into small, hard to reach sites around teeth. threaders are sometimes required to floss with dental braces, fix retainers, and bridge. floss pick floss pick shapesf-shapedy-shaped a floss pick is a disposable oral hygiene device generally made of plastic and dental floss. the instrument is composed of two prongs extending from a thin plastic body of high-impact polystyrene material. a single piece of floss runs between the two prongs. the body of the floss pick generally tapers at its end in the shape of a toothpick. there are two types of angled floss picks in the oral care industry, the y-shaped angle and the f-shaped angle floss pick. at the base of the arch where the "y" begins to branch there is a handle for gripping and maneuvering before it tapers off into a pick. floss picks are manufactured in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes for adults and children. the floss can be coated in fluoride, flavor or wax. history of floss pick in 1888, b.t. mason wrapped a fibrous material around a toothpick and dubbed it the "combination tooth pick." in 1916, j.p. de l'eau invented a dental floss holder between two vertical poles. in 1935, f.h. doner invented what today's consumer knows as the y-shaped angled dental appliance. in 1963, james b. kirby invented a tooth-cleaning device that resembles an archaic version of today's f-shaped floss pick. in 1972, an inventor named richard l. wells found a way to attach floss to a single pick end. in the same year, another inventor named harry selig katz came up with a method of making a disposable dental floss tooth pick. environmental impact it’s estimated that the yearly production of almost 5 billion single-use flossers for north america emits about 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. this results in 10 million pounds of plastic trash entering the north american environment every year.