Your dental floss plays an essential role in your oral hygiene. You want to use the best products for this job. And while you may not know it, the best products may be the natural floss alternatives.
Are you thinking what’s the matter with conventional floss? Well, it’s the material it is made of. Production companies generally use nylon and Teflon.
You most likely heard of them, but what you may not know is that they can have powerful effects on your health and the environment.
Alternatives such as natural silk floss are great ways of avoiding these products and taking care of yourself and the environment.
Understanding what’s the big deal with these nylon and Teflon is the first step towards making a change in your lifestyle. Let’s take a look!
The dangers of nylon and Teflon in your dental floss
Nylon and Teflon can have different harmful effects on you. We will take each of them one at a time.
Nylon
Nylon is a petroleum-based plastic used for the production of dental floss. Some products are also coated with synthetic wax, adding another petroleum-based substance to the manufacturing process.
Plastic is one of the most non-eco-friendly materials. It’s production requires energy and time-consuming processes, plus non-renewable resources.
It also takes hundreds of years for plastic products to decompose.
Indeed, if we were to compare a plastic bottle to nylon dental floss, the time difference would be big. The bottle may take between 450 and 1000 years to decompose, while the floss 70-80 years.
It’s true that nylon decomposes faster, but it still remains on the earth’s surface for almost a century. In this time, it releases dangerous toxins for us and the environment.
Teflon
Teflon (also known as Polytetrafluoroethylene – PTFE) is a material mostly used in non-stick cookware such as pots and pans.
The side effects of using Teflon pots and pans are great. It’s advisable to go for safer and healthier alternatives such as non-toxic non-stick cookware.
Perfluorooctanoic (PFOA) is also used in manufacturing of Teflon. This chemical has been linked to cancer.
Teflon can cause different health problems such as the ‘teflon’ flu. The symptoms include:
- fatigue
- cough
- nausea
- headache
- chills
- fever
- muscle pain
- sweating
These symptoms coincide with the normal flu ones. If you experience any of them, go to your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
The benefits of using natural floss alternatives
Natural floss alternatives are made using healthier and more eco-friendly materials. Natural silk and natural beeswax are two examples.
They do not pose a threat to your health and can bring some great benefits to you.
Safe materials
Natural materials are a great way of protecting your health. They usually do not contain any harsh ingredients or petrochemicals.
This means that when you use your dental floss, no chemicals are absorbed by your body and your health is protected.
Another natural floss alternative is represented by organic products. They are made using only organic ingredients.
If you choose to go for this option, check the product and the company to make sure they are certified as organic.
Environmentally friendly
Natural floss alternatives are an environmentally friendly option.
They do not require the use of chemicals and harmful ingredients. This means they do not release dangerous chemicals in the environment during their life.
Depending on the product you are using, some natural floss alternatives are also biodegradable. They can be decomposed by different bacteria and organisms.
Natural floss alternative products
Here are a few natural floss alternative products to give you a little inspiration.