Your favorite clothes, cookware, and even dental floss may contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to human health. Now, a new Colorado law is aiming to make those products safer.
The new law will affect all kinds of things Coloradans buy and use every day, that are made using something called per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
They are commonly called “forever chemicals,” because of how durable they are, which makes them great ingredients in things like waterproof clothing and nonstick cookware.
The problem is, the more humans are exposed to PFAS, the more they can build up in the body, and can increase the risk of serious health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and infertility.
This week, advocates celebrated the passage of the new law in Broomfield.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a floss product that had ingredients listed on it. How can I check?
I think almost all floss uses of these as dry lubricant. The one that don’t are the thick scratchy ones that has trouble getting between teeth.
The waxed kind are not always PFAS! I use Reach Listerine Ultraclean and they specify no PFAS. It’s a waxy kind that slides easily!
When I first learned PFAS was a thing in floss, I figured it had to be in the stuff I use. Maybe it was at some point, but it’s not now.
the thick scratchy stuff is the only kind that doesn’t get too slippery to hold onto.
And it actually cleans between your teeth
I highly recommend the type that come cast into a small plastic Y shaped handle. Game chamger for flossing. They come in bag of 100 for 4$.
Maybe I’m going mad but I don’t think I’ve ever found dental floss slippery? I’ve got a feeling I wind it round my fingers but I’m not sure, even so I don’t think it seems too slippery to hold.
Well shit. Are there any good floss options out there then?
Water flosser works great for me personally
I’m sure they’ll eventually develop a new dry lubricant that is almost as good and is highly proprietary and therefore much more profitable than those pedestrians pfas.
I’m quite sure these were developped before the anti pfas campaign was funded. And we will probably not have any gap in products once all pfas forever chemicals are made illegal.
For “major brands” at any grocery store, Reach Pop floss is PFAS free with vegan wax. I like the feel of it and it works well. Definitely not as smooth as something like Glide, but you aren’t getting the forever chemicals either.
I like eco-dent I have some jagged spots on my teeth that most floss snags on. This stuff doesn’t snag and it uses wax instead of forever chemical
SMARTLIFECO has some good stuff. If you want just string, I believe ethique has some.
Is that the “woven” one? It’s my favorite.
“glide” is the most common brand to avoid
Ah shit, the Oral-B one? It’s the only floss that I can get between my teeth. :(
Essential Floss unwaxed is approved for pregnancy, it has no fluorides.