History of Floss

Dental floss in some crude form appears to have been used by prehistoric humans because grooves have been found in the teeth of prehistoric humans.[1]

Levi Spear Parmly, a dentist from New Orleans, is credited with inventing a legendary form of dental floss. He had been recommending that people should clean their teeth with silk floss since 1815.[2]

Dental floss was still unavailable to the consumer until the Codman and Shurtleft company started producing human-usable unwaxed silk floss in 1882. In 1898, the Johnson & Johnson Corporation received the first patent for dental floss. Other early brands included Red Cross, Salter Sill Co. and Brunswick.

The adoption of floss was poor before World War II. It was around this time, however, that Dr. Charles C. Bass developed nylon floss. Nylon floss was found to be better than silk because of its greater abrasion resistance and elasticity.

Dentists and dental hygienists urge the daily oral hygiene regimen of toothbrushing and flossing. Nearly all Americans brush their teeth. However, the ADA indicates that merely about 12 percent of Americans floss daily, 39 percent floss less than daily, and 49 percent do not floss at all.