[ipqk]

There just wasn't evidence-based studies for a lot of common dental practices. Not unlike when the FDA was created, a lot of old medicines were just given a pass, even though they aren't useful (like how Acetaminophen is barely better than placebo — it'd never be approved today).

Just because there's no actual studies for flossing, that doesn't mean that flossing is bad or not-needed per se, but there does need to be more basic-level studies for it. I had bad gum-disease in my 20s, but once I actually started flossing daily, it stopped progressing. So it clearly helped me, but a better study on whether everyone needs to floss and how often should be done.