Switching to Safer Floss
Tara Carpenter, NC.
Nutrition Consultant helping people heal with therapeutic nutrition.
Most dental floss is made from nylon, a petroleum-based product coated with Teflon synthetic resin – similar to nonstick cookware material – called PTFE which is a shortened name for polytetrafluoroethylene. Both are carcinogenic and known to attribute to cancer, arthritis, altered immune responses, and thyroid/hormone imbalances.
When I first heard this, I thought how can floss cause so many issues? The short answer is floss with PTFE leaves chemical traces in the mouth that are inevitably swallowed or absorbed into the bloodstream through the thin mucosa lining of the mouth. This raises concern for those who diligently floss once or twice a day, year-round.
Environmental Impact
Going a step further. When you throw away floss, like disposable dental flossers, containing PTFE, this toxin goes into the environment through landfills and waterways. Basically, if you use conventional waxed floss, it is likely coated with synthetic, petroleum-based wax.
Safer Floss
Lessen toxic load by switching to floss with no PTFE Teflon:
- Tom’s of Maine spearmint floss
- Desert Essence tea tree oil waxed floss
- Eco-Dent dental care floss
- Radius cranberry vegan xylitol floss
- Fantastic Floss
My Story
I was hesitant to try a healthy version of floss because growing up my mother insisted we kids use natural floss; I detested the feel of that thick fall apart floss in-between my teeth. Makes me cringe just thinking about that. Was also fennel flavor which I was not a fan. By high school I liked Johnson & Johnson. That was what my father kept in his bathroom drawer and was easy to use. Later, I used Oral-B Glide.
Recently, I started hearing how PTFE floss harms. Since I had thus far stuck to conventional floss I found myself resisting change, yet in time the voice of my inner nutritionist (+ health-conscious colleagues) overcame my stubborn streak. I did the research (links below) and made the switch for my health and the environment.
Here is the natural floss I ended up going with.
My Choice
I like cranberry floss best. Though natural, this one has a smooth feel in-between my teeth with classy ingredients like organic silk spun in beeswax coated in cranberry essence. Good as sounds and feels good! No weird feel or over sweet taste like other xylitol-based floss. This one glides in ‘n out of tight spaces and the only comment I’ll leave with is I find it falls apart more than I like, yet tends to be towards the end so not a big deal.
The best part about the safer kinds of floss above are they are also safe for the environment as they are biodegradable.
Happy flossing 🙂
May all bellies be happy!
Thumbs Up: Keeping Kids Cavity-Free
References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324196.php\
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/oral-b-dental-floss-toxic#Alternative-options
https://askthedentist.com/safe-dental-floss/
https://www.treehugger.com/health/does-your-dental-floss-contain-pfcs.html
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhisubbaraman/oral-b-pfas-dental-floss
https://www.health.com/oral-health/pfas-floss
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for products I believe in and use on a regular basis. See more here. All content is for general information only, primarily educational in nature, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your primary health-care practitioner that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Consult your primary practitioner regarding any health problem(s) you have and keep them informed to the opinions, ideas, and advice on this site that you find useful. Full disclaimer here. Please email tara@happybellies.net for any questions or concerns that you have.
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