You know the drill—you should floss at least once a day to remove plaque and food particles from your teeth to reduce the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Some primary strands are healthier than others. An analysis found evidence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 13 of 39 brands.
These “lifetime chemicals” make the floss slide more easily between the teeth, but they also stay in the body and nature. They are linked to a number of health problems, including an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
PFAS can be found in everyday products like non-stick cookware, fast food containers and shampoo, and even in drinking water, so experts recommend limiting your exposure whenever possible.
“We are exposed to PFAS chemicals throughout our day, from water, soil, fish/food, carpet, cleaning products and more,” said Dr. Jennifer Blanton, a dentist in Houston for Verywell Health.
“It’s important to be aware of these ingredients as well as anything we eat or consume throughout our day,” she added.
This doesn’t mean giving up flossing altogether.
“You should floss every night for the rest of your life,” recently advised Dr. Chadd McAlpin, a dentist in California, his followers on TikTok. “And what kind of floss should you use? You should use a thicker type of thread with a wax coating.”
Look for yarn labeled as PFAS-free, made from natural fibers like silk or cotton, and coated with plant-based waxes like beeswax, candelilla or carnauba.
Consumer Reports and Made Safe, a third-party certification program that screens products for toxic chemicals, analyzed the ingredients in 17 products and selected three PFAS-free staples as the best for health.
Silk floss tends to be less durable and more expensive than plastic floss, but Nudge promises that its silk floss ($6.99 for 40 feet) is “the safest non-toxic option you can put in your mouth “.
It is biodegradable and comes in a glass container instead of a plastic one.
Radius says its thread is spun in candelilla wax derived from native Southwest shrubs and coated with carnauba wax.
The cardboard packaging acts as a thread dispenser, meaning the product is plastic-free. A three-pack costs $14.04 for a total of 297 feet.
The TreeBird Floss is also waxed with candelilla and is made from pure peace silk. It comes in a glass container that is packaged in a small recycled cardboard box.
“The paint we use is made from soybeans, which breaks down faster than petroleum or oil-based paints, so the packaging can be thrown straight into your compost pile,” TreeBird noted.
A 99-foot spool sells for $9.99, but the glass container can be reused. Two-pack refills, for a total of 198 feet, cost $9.99.
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