ou only need to have visited a dentist once in your life to know how important daily flossing is for the health of your teeth and gums, but is there anything else your floss could (or shouldn’t) be doing?
Reports have come out in recent years showing that some traditional dental flosses might be exposing people to harmful chemicals. There are also serious sustainability concerns with the waste that regular flosses create. We’re here to floss out all those issues and get clear on what clean, non-toxic, vegan flosses can offer instead.
Not only do we have a recommendation list with 8 of the best non-toxic dental flosses, but we’ve broken each option down by their sustainability stats, ingredients, packaging, etc., so that you can make the most informed decision for your health and sustainability journey.
Table of Contents
What Traditional Floss is Made From (And the Harm It’s Doing)
In the US at least, dental floss brands aren’t required by federal law to disclose what’s in their products. This means that there are an alarming number of brands that have managed to sneak in potentially harmful materials and chemicals.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s in traditional floss and the unwanted impact it may be having:
- Petroleum-Based Nylon and Polyester Fibers: Used for their smoothness and ability to glide easily between teeth without breaking, these synthetic fibers unfortunately cannot be recycled and take decades to biodegrade. It’s also not ideal to be using something in your mouth made from petrochemicals as they’re known endocrine disruptors, might be carcinogenic, and can increase the risk of heart disease.
- PFAS: These chemicals are in many consumer products, including non-stick kitchenware, clothing, food packaging, and getting into our mouths and body through some dental flosses. They tend to be in the synthetic waxes on flosses and have been found in flosses from multiple brands, including Oral-B, Colgate, and Crest.
- Synthetic Waxes: Usually made from petroleum, it again means that a known hormone disrupter and possible carcinogen is entering your mouth. There’s also an environmental cost, as the petrochemical industry has been associated with pollution and huge carbon emissions.
- Sodium Laurel Sulfate: SLS often appears in dental hygiene products as a surfactant and can help improve plaque control and bad breath, but it’s also a known irritant best avoided by those with sensitive teeth or gums.
- Fluoride: Similar to SLS, fluoride offers dental health benefits but isn’t always great for those with sensitivities. Furthermore, this chemical is also a known endocrine disruptor which means it can disturb the normal function of the thyroid, reproductive system, and pituitary gland.
What Non-Toxic Floss is Made From Instead
The main difference between non-toxic dental floss and regular versions comes down to the materials used for the floss thread and wax. The best non-toxic floss options are leaving behind nylon and polyester thread in favor of natural, biodegradable materials such as charcoal, cornstarch, and bamboo fibers. This helps reduce waste and limits your exposure to synthetic materials.
Non-toxic brands are also doing wax differently (There is some debate on whether floss should have wax on it at all)l. Generally, it helps strengthen the thread and make it more maneuverable, and with cleaner brands, you’re not getting any petrochemicals in the mix.
Instead, non-toxic flosses mainly use candelilla wax. This blend of plant-based waxes is hypoallergenic, PFAS-free, and like so many of the ingredients in natural floss alternatives, biodegradable as well.
Our Criteria for Non-Toxic and Sustainable Floss Recommendations
Here’s a breakdown of the criteria we use when deciding which non-toxic and sustainable dental floss brands to recommend:
Non-Toxic
- No nylon or petroleum-based materials.
- Transparency regarding the ingredients and materials used to create the non-toxic floss.
- PFAS-free.
Sustainable
- Some kind of sustainable packaging, be it plastic-free, recyclable, or refillable, to help decrease carbon footprint.
- Natural fibers in the floss that can biodegrade.
- An effort from the brand to support sustainability issues, such as donating to 1% for the Planet.
Vegan
Besides being certified vegan in some respect, these are the specifics we looked for in vegan dental floss:
- No silk fibers.
- No beeswax.
Does the Job Well
The best non-toxic dental floss in our eyes isn’t only free of PFAS and petrochemicals. It has to be a product that is pleasant to use, glides through your teeth without breaking, and offers true dental hygiene benefits.
8 Non-Toxic and Sustainable Floss Recommendations That Are Vegan
We’ve got a list of dental floss without PFAS right here for you, with each product also being non-toxic, sustainable, and vegan:
1. Tidalove
Started by a first-generation Korean mom sick of microplastics, this brand is all about bringing together the best of K-beauty and sustainability. Tidalove’s waxed vegan dental floss is made of entirely natural ingredients, gentle on teeth, and completely plastic-free.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Unspecified, but it seems to be a “yes”.
Refillable? Yes.
Customer Reviews: “Strong floss and simple to use” was a comment left by one customer and seems to sum up the best parts of the chemical-free dental floss.
Thread Material and Ingredients: Candelilla wax, ginger, and white charcoal.
Container and Packaging: Glass with cardboard packaging.
Flavors: Ginger.
Sustainability Stats:
- Plastic-free, refillable, and recyclable packaging.
- Natural, plant-derived ingredients.
- Partnered with OceanSaves.
2. Bite Floss
We have another female-founded brand for you and with quite a similar product to the above. The main difference is that this non-PFAS dental floss has an even simpler ingredient list, making it perfect for anyone with sensitivities or who just prefers unflavored, no-frills floss.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Yes.
Refillable? Yes.
Customer Reviews: Some find that the floss breaks easily, but many echo Denise S.’s review in that it’s overall a “great floss [that] glides easily”.
Thread Material and Ingredients: 100% plant-based PLA and candelilla wax.
Container and Packaging: Glass with cardboard packaging.
Flavors: Unflavored.
Sustainability Stats:
- Natural, plant-based ingredients free of parabens, SLS, etc.
- Plastic-free, refillable, and recyclable packaging.
- Certified Cruelty-Free
- Carbon Neutral
- Certified B Corp.
3. TreeBird
It’s a great day to be vegan because TreeBird maintains that their vegan floss made from bamboo charcoal provides a “deeper, more durable clean” than their silk version. The non-toxic floss also has a lovely, light mint flavor to it for added freshness.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Yes
Refillable? Yes.
Customer Reviews: K. Willett noted that the black thread of TreeBird floss allows you to see that you’re actually getting things out of your teeth – gross but undeniably satisfying.
Thread Material and Ingredients: Bamboo charcoal and candelilla wax.
Container and Packaging: Glass with cardboard packaging.
Flavors: Mint
Sustainability Stats:
- Natural, plant-based ingredients free of parabens, SLS, etc.
- Plastic-free, refillable, and recyclable packaging.
4. Huppy
It seems kind of unbelievable that you can make thread from cornstarch, but it’s this kind of innovation that has made Huppy’s product one of the healthiest dental floss options out there. It’s simple, has a great (natural) peppermint flavor and fun packaging.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Yes.
Refillable? Yes.
Customer Reviews: Customers rave about how smooth and high-quality this non-toxic floss is.
Thread Material and Ingredients: Candelilla wax and cornstarch
Container and Packaging: Glass with cardboard packaging.
Flavors: Peppermint.
Sustainability Stats:
- Natural, plant-based ingredients.
- Plastic-free, refillable, and recyclable packaging.
- 2% of revenue to sustainability initiatives.
5. Terra & Co
Most plastic-free, non-toxic floss options come in glass jars, but Terra & Co has managed to leave glass out of it with their Brilliant Black Dental Floss so that if your kid has a habit of knocking through your things, you don’t have to worry about anything shattering on the floor.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Yes.
Refillable? No.
Customer Reviews: Some have noted that the floss is thicker than most, but most reviewers argue that’s why it’s so effective at getting plaque out.
Thread Material and Ingredients: Bamboo fibers, coconut oil, candelilla wax, and activated charcoal.
Container and Packaging: Recycled FSC-certified paper with a metal cutter.
Flavors: Mint.
Sustainability Stats:
- Plastic-free, recyclable packaging.
- Natural, plant-based ingredients.
- Peta-certified vegan and cruelty-free.
6. Mintly
One annoyance that people sometimes find with refillable, non-toxic dental floss is that brands run out of re-fill stock. Mintly has a cost-effective subscription service so that you never have to run out of your natural floss or worry about ordering it in time.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Yes.
Refillable? Yes.
Customer Reviews: Erica D. summed up the best parts of this product with this review – “Adorable packaging, sustainable floss, can’t lose.”
Thread Material and Ingredients: Corn straw and candelilla wax.
Container and Packaging: Glass with cardboard packaging.
Flavors: Peppermint
Sustainability Stats:
- Natural, plant-based ingredients.
- Plastic-free, refillable, and recyclable packaging.
7. Dr. Brite
Another way to approach avoiding PFAS in floss or trying to stick to safe dental floss is to switch over to their water flosser. Dr. Brite is a female-founded brand on a mission to reduce waste in the dental hygiene space and has developed an award-winning water flosser that cleans your teeth without creating single-use waste.
Waxed? No.
Fluoride Free? Yes.
Customer Reviews: Though reviewers admit there’s a learning curve with getting used to a water flosser, they all rave about how clean their teeth feel once they get the hang of things.
Container and Packaging: Recyclable packaging.
Sustainability Stats:
- Reusable item free of any nasty ingredients.
- Certified B Corp.
8. Eco Roots
We’re very pleased to say that we have yet another small, female-founded brand to recommend. Eco Roots is all about creating low-waste natural bamboo floss that get the job done, and the brand’s extra zingy, non-toxic dental floss is no different.
Waxed? Yes.
Fluoride Free? Yes.
Refillable? Yes.
Customer Reviews: Terry McCoy described the floss as “fantastic” and noted how well the dispenser works too.
Thread Material and Ingredients: Bamboo fiber with activated charcoal and candelilla wax.
Container and Packaging: Glass with cardboard packaging.
Flavors: Tea tree and peppermint blend.
Sustainability Stats:
- Plastic-free shipping.
- Plastic-free, recyclable packaging.
- Natural, plant-based ingredients.
- Donates proceeds to Ocean Conservancy.
Floss for The Future
Making the switch to vegan, sustainable, and non-toxic dental floss is one of those small changes that can add up in a big way. It means you get to reduce your exposure to petrochemicals and PFAS, while also cutting back on waste.
Next time you’re looking for a floss, skip the conventional brands and give one of our recommendations a try. Great non-toxic floss doesn’t just bode well for the future of your teeth but our planet as well.
FAQs
What is the healthiest dental floss to use?
The healthiest dental floss to use is anything that is petrochemical and PFAS-free, and generally sticks to simple, safe, and natural ingredients.
Why not use Glide floss?
The reason to not use Glide floss is because it contains PTFE, a chemical that is part of the PFAS family and is associated with a number of health risks such as cancer and hormone disruptions.
Is tea tree oil dental floss safe?
Tea tree dental floss is safe but should be used with caution as ingesting tea tree oil in large amounts is toxic.
What happened to Reach floss?
What happened to Reach floss is that it was rebranded in 2015 to Listerine floss.
Does Cocofloss have PFAS?
No, Cocofloss does not have PFAS. It is a natural, non-toxic dental floss.
Does floss have fluoride?
Some floss has fluoride in it, but there are many brands, such as Bite Floss and Tidalove, making fluoride-free dental floss.
