Is Dental Floss Safe for the Environment? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Think about changing up your dental floss if you are someone who strives to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle and make environmentally conscious purchases.

Every day, thousands of tons of rubbish enters the ocean, posing a hazard to marine life, particularly sharp or tightly wound materials such as dental floss, wire, plastic rings, or nets, among other things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is dental floss considered environmentally friendly?

Dental floss is constructed of waxed nylon and plastic, and it is packed and sold in a plastic box to protect it from the elements. In the meanwhile, this plastic will disintegrate over thousands of years, and it may represent a threat to the environment, wildlife, and their health. As a result, dental floss is not environmentally friendly.

 

 

 

Consequently, humans must become more conscientious about the items we purchase and discard – if you are wanting to keep plastics out of the ocean, consider replacing your dental floss now!

 

 

 

The decomposition of regular floss products takes a long time, but it is worth it.
Dental floss items sold in stores are often composed of waxed nylon and packaged in plastic boxes or containers.

It may take many decades for nylon threads to degrade due to the fact that they are tear-proof (which is very harmful to animals). Plastic, on the other hand, may persist for over a thousand years, depending on its chemical composition and the environment in which it is stored..

 

 

 

 

There are even little dental floss “picks” that individuals can purchase for less than $3 that are totally plastic and sharp — if an animal were to eat one of these picks, they may get ill or perhaps die as a result of the poison they would be exposed to.

In addition, it will take more than five hundred years for these selections to decay.

As a result, dental floss and the plastic containers in which it is packaged have a significant detrimental impact on the environment.

 

 

 

Is ordinary dental floss made of plastic?

Regular floss is nearly often constructed of waxed nylon, which is a synthetic material.

Synthetic polyamide – which is essentially a sort of plastic – is used to create nylon, which is a fiber-forming material. When you use dental floss, the wax covering on it makes it easier for it to move between your teeth.

 

 

 

 

Nylon cannot be recycled, and it is also not biodegradable, making it a toxic chemical that is harmful to both the environment and wildlife.

Furthermore, without the correct equipment, dental floss is very tough to rip or break — have you ever attempted to pull dental floss apart with your fingers?

 

 

In the outdoors, particularly in the ocean, it is common for animals to get entangled or tied up in dental floss. This may really kill many of them, and if the skin or flesh is not torn away promptly, it can cause significant damage.

As a result, it is critical to investigate alternate materials to nylon and plastics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Ingredients Are Used in Eco-Friendly Dental Floss?

Environmentally friendly dental floss is available for purchase, but what is the material used to make it?

Dental floss manufactured from the following ingredients is a healthier alternative:

Silk that has been infused with mint scents and coated in wax
Cotton that has been scented or coated with wax
Bamboo charcoal fiber is a kind of charcoal that comes from bamboo (vegan)
Water floss or water picks are a kind of floss that is made of water.
When it comes to environmentally friendly dental floss, silk that has not been tested on animals is the more preferred choice. Most companies use it in place of other materials – yet, since it is derived from silkworms, it is not considered vegan by many people.

 

 

 

Cotton items are also available; however, they have been noted to be prone to breaking and to not survive for very long periods of time.

The Bam&Boo Toothbrush Company manufactures bamboo charcoal fiber dental floss, which is one of a number of environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic floss, toothbrushes, straws, bags, and travel cases available online.

 

 

 

 

Finally, if you’re searching for something that you can use over and over again, you may consider investing in a water pick or water floss instead. These are little devices that pump water out at high volumes and provide a stream of water to assist you in flossing your teeth.

Picks made of water are much more costly, but they should last you a long time!

 

 

 

 

Which Floss Brands Are the Most Environmentally Friendly?

Finding biodegradable or environmentally friendly dental floss may be challenging, and it is often more expensive than conventional plastic floss.

If, on the other hand, you have the time and resources to make the changeover, you will be pleased that you did! It is critical that we make little adjustments that will have a positive impact on repairing and safeguarding our natural environment, as well as the species who live there!

Listed below are a few eco-friendly floss manufacturers that we’ve discovered so far:

 

 

1. TreeBird .

TreeBird offers their dental floss in a glass container with one spool of silk floss, which is available in many colors.

They promote silk that has been treated in candelilla wax that is 100 percent silk (a popular wax often paired with mint oils that many companies use).

They will also send you refills if you make an additional purchase each time you run out of product!

All that has to be done is to repurpose the container.

 

 

 

2. Teeth of Fortune (vegan)

Just keep in mind that silk does not meet the vegan standard.

For vegans who want to switch up their dental floss routine, Lucky Teeth has a bamboo fiber floss that is both biodegradable and a terrific alternative!

There are many packaging alternatives available, including recyclable paper packaging and glass jar containers with refilling possibilities.

 

 

 

 

 

3. RADIUS

 RADIUS is one of those companies that is well-known and trustworthy, with the exception of one significant flaw: the use of plastic packaging.

RADIUS is a company that several eco-living blogs suggest; nevertheless, they caution clients that their product comes in plastic packaging.

 

RADIUS, on the other hand, uses silk in its dental floss, which is a departure from the nylon materials that are used by the majority of other companies.

This would be a less expensive alternative to many of the glass packaging choices, but it would still contribute to the issue of producing garbage in the environment.