Does your dental floss contain toxic chemicals?
Just the other day, my friends and I were having lunch before our bi-monthly visit to our local playhouse and got talking about single-use plastic and alternatives. One friend said: “Did you know that your dental floss might contain harmful levels of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals”). I got home and researched and found this article: https://www.health.com/condition/oral-health/pfas-floss. Sure enough, some brands of dental floss have been found to contain detectable levels of fluorine, a marker of PFAS. The article reports on a study showing that women who flossed with certain brands of dental flosses had higher levels of PFAS in their blood than those who didn’t. You may wonder why it matters if your consumer products contain PFAS. The PFAS compounds have been linked to serious health problems, such as cancer, liver diseases, prenatal and developmental issues, and immunosuppression. You can learn more about PFAS in consumer products, including dental floss, on the website of a federal agency called the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/health-effects/exposure.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.atsdr.cdc.gov%2Fpfas%2Fpfas-exposure.html.
This is a favorite floss in our homes.
I, long ago, stopped using plastic dental floss and instead have been trying other options. My family’s favorite is sold by a company called “Package Free”, which sells lots of household products and packaging that are waste free. One floss type they sell comes in a paper box and the other in a small refillable glass jar. https://packagefreeshop.com/search?query=dental-floss
I’ve also found many floss picks labeled as “Eco” or “natural” or “compostable”. They are made with a variety of alternatives, including bamboo, charcoal, cornstarch, and wheat. I have not tried it, but Eco Roots bamboo floss got great reviews.
What can you do?
Read about PFAS and see what you can do to reduce your exposure.
Try using non-plastic alternatives to dental floss.
Share with your friends and family.