"Dentists understand that tooth decay and gum disease result from prolonged exposure to decomposing food." Does the type of food matter, carbs, protein, sugar? How soon should one floss after eating to avoid damage? Does flossing just before bed help? By how much? Should you floss after every meal? How much does it help?
For all we know, sugary carbs that tend to get stuck between teeth do their damage in minutes or a few hours and flossing at night won't help. Or flossing too soon removes enzymes in your saliva that protect teeth from buildup or disease.
Those are some good points. Maybe there's an argument for using a water pick instead of flossing. But not everyone has access to one of those, and I wouldn't mistrust the entire dental profession because they tell people to clean their teeth without research.
For all we know, sugary carbs that tend to get stuck between teeth do their damage in minutes or a few hours and flossing at night won't help. Or flossing too soon removes enzymes in your saliva that protect teeth from buildup or disease.