Benefits Of Eco Friendly Dental Floss

Benefits Of Eco Friendly Dental Floss : Dental floss is a cord of thin filaments. It is used in interdental cleaning to remove food and dental plaque between teeth places a toothbrush has difficulty reaching. Its regular use as part of oral cleaning stands created to maintain oral health.

The use of floss is advised to prevent gingivitis and the formation of plaque. The American Dental Association claims that up to 80% of the plaque can be cleared by flossing, and it may confer a particular benefit in individuals with orthodontic devices. However, empirical scientific evidence demonstrating the clinical use of flossing as an adjunct to routine tooth brushing alone remains limited.

How is floss made?

Traditional floss is made with waxed nylon. Nylon is a petroleum-based thermoplastic made from artificial polyamides, which do not degrade by natural processes. Nylon became a prevalent choice for floss due to its strength, preventing it from breaking during flossing. The nylon cord is usually covered in a polish layer designed to make it slippery, allowing users to clean their teeth without damaging them. These wax coatings exist naturally made from perfluorinated chemicals, otherwise known as PFCs, which are increasingly being examined for their impact on human health. According to the EPA, PFCs are even known to be one of the most toxic greenhouse gases that man produces.

Floss can quickly lose its appeal between the mixture of petroleum-based nylon thread and questionable chemical coatings. This is, of course, before one even considers the environmental impact of producing nylon and the chemical coatings.

Eco-friendly floss:

Unlike traditional dental floss, silk floss is biodegradable. Many silk flosses use a natural, plant-based wax called Candelilla wax, instead of the usual PFCs. Being more eco-minded, silk floss often comes in small, reusable glass bottles, meaning you can order a new spindle of floss instead of an entirely new package every time.

Benefits of eco-friendly floss:

The market for eco friendly floss is expanding rapidly. One of the reasons this eco-trend is growing is that flossing every day can help you fight diseases and viruses like COVID-19.

Many traditional dental floss products on the market are made with plastics and toxic materials, which are harming our planet. But the good news is that you don’t have to compromise for traditional floss because healthier and more bearable options are now readily available.

Organic Corn Fiber Floss

Other companies are preparing biodegradable vegan and compostable floss from corn fiber. Like bamboo, corn fiber comes from a renewable resource whose production requires much less water, energy and produces less waste than nylon and plastic. Not to mention it is fully biodegradable and compostable in appropriate facilities. Look for brands offering corn fiber floss derived from organic, non-GMO sources, and your smile and the planet will be much healthier. Also, keep in mind that some companies go beyond and sell biodegradable floss that supports tree-planting, forest conservation, and the rehabilitation of wild animals impacted by deforestation.

Silk-, bamboo-, and corn-based floss are usually coated with organic candelilla wax, coconut oil, carnauba wax, mint, tea tree oil, or activated charcoal – all of which are natural, non-toxic ingredients.

Bamboo Fiber Floss

A vegan and more moral choice to make biodegradable floss is bamboo fiber. Bamboo plants are well-known for their many environmental benefits, which include:

Encouraging better soil health and protection
Reducing pollution, absorbing carbon dioxide, and having a lot of oxygen in their development process
Growing very fast without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or other chemical inputs

Silk Floss:

Many brands are selling silk floss, which can be composted at home. But, as you know, silk is a controversial material. It is made from the cocoon filaments of silkworms, which are harvested via boiling the animals while they are still alive. As a more ethical and sustainable alternative, Peace Silk floss is made by some companies. Making peace silk does not require boiling the silkworms but instead allows them to mature into moths.

In the procedure of domestication of silkworms, these have been deprived of their ability to see, fly, and react to vultures.

Moreover, the process of harvesting the filaments needed to produce peace silk includes opening the cocoons and permitting moths to escape, and they usually die right after they emerge.

Conclusion:

We have to use biodegradable floss. One of the reasons this eco-trend is growing is that flossing every day can help you fight diseases and viruses like COVID-19. Many traditional dental floss products on the market are made with plastics and toxic materials that are harming our planet. So, we use organic corn fiber floss, bamboo fiber floss, and silk floss that are biodegradable.