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UPPING THE COMMITMENT
In our last blog we invited you to make a commitment to flossing (hopefully 2x) every day. How’s that going? Today we want to talk about upping that commitment to the next level — Healthy Flossing. Yep, it’s a thing…ok, maybe not a thing-thing, but we think it’s important enough to be called a “thing”.
What do we mean by Healthy Flossing?
It all starts with the floss. Do you know what’s on your floss? Or what it’s made of? In our busy, everyday lives we don’t always take time to really look into what we’re putting into our mouths and bodies. Floss is floss, right? Well, not really. A recent study in USA Today1 lays out some stunning information that certain types of floss may actually be exposing you to potentially toxic chemicals and severely impacting your health. PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, AKA Teflon) is one of the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), which are said to have toxic effects when ingested. Many popular dental flosses, including Oral-B Glide and others, are made from PTFE.
PTFE/PFAS – Risky Chemicals Indeed
Using PTFE on a daily basis in your mouth is a highly questionable practice as chemicals are easily absorbed through the oral mucosa. Teflon® (trademarked name for PTFE) exposure has been linked to: hormone imbalance, cancer2, autoimmune disease, neurotoxicity and Alzheimer’s disease.
Aside from potential health risks, the non-stick quality of Teflon® flosses doesn’t do a great job of removing plaque. The same chemicals used for non-stick surfaces on frying pans is used for these flosses. Think about this, if fried eggs aren’t sticking to the Teflon® pan, it makes sense that plaque and food particles between your teeth aren’t going to stick to the floss either. Although the material easily slides up and down between teeth, our study shows that it’s actually the worst performing floss as far as plaque removal goes3 .
Some good news…
The good news is, consumers can choose flosses that don’t contain PFAS. Even better news? You can choose non-toxic and more effective. This is why DrTungs is sharing this information with our readers—so that you can be fully aware of these potential health risks when considering your floss options.
If you are using another floss brand and are not sure whether or not it contains PTFE or PFAS, here a simple way to know. If it says something like ‘Oral-B Glide’, ‘similar to Glide’, ‘compare to Glide’, then it is almost certain to be made with PTFE. Also, don’t be fooled by some flosses claiming to be ‘USDA Organic’. Check the label carefully. The wax or flavor may be organic, but the floss material is almost certainly synthetic.
DrTung’s Smart Floss
If you’re flossing—and we know you are committed to this daily essential— you should consider upping the commitment and use the most effective and non-toxic floss available. There’s no other floss quite like Smart Floss! It expands into interdental spaces for better removal of plaque and food particles.
- No petrochemical wax
- Gluten-free. PTFE-free. BPA-free (Made of polyester)
- Eco-Friendly packaging options:
- new, award-winning Paperboard Packaging
- a biodegradable dispenser (made with EcoPure to biodegrade faster in a landfill than regular plastic)
- refill spools for the dispenser
If you haven’t done so already, consider switching to DrTung’s for comfortable, effective and Healthy Flossing!
