Does dental floss contain PFAS?

Many do. The slick coating that helps floss glide between teeth is often PTFE, the same polymer as Teflon and a member of the PFAS family. A 2024 lab study of 39 flosses found PFAS in roughly a third of them, and Oral-B Glide tested at 248,900 ppm organic fluorine, the highest the lab had ever recorded in a consumer product.

Is Oral-B Glide floss safe?

A 2019 Silent Spring Institute study found that women who used Oral-B Glide had higher blood levels of a PFAS called PFHxS. Glide was historically made with PTFE. Oral-B has since said it no longer formulates Glide with PTFE, but has not publicly detailed the replacement material or exactly when all inventory changed over. If you want certainty, choose a floss that is explicitly tested PFAS free.

What is the best PFAS free dental floss?

Silk floss coated with plant wax is the cleanest choice because it is both PFAS free and biodegradable. Our primary picks are all silk: Dental Lace, which ships with a glass jar and is on the Center for Environmental Health PFAS free list, Hemli Home, a peace silk that is the best reviewed, and TreeBird, which comes with a refillable stainless steel dispenser. Cocofloss is a popular vegan option, but its strand is polyester, which is plastic, so it is not one of our picks.

How can I tell if my floss has PFAS?

There is no PFAS line on the label, so read the clues. Words like glide, comfort, smooth, and slick usually signal a PTFE coating. A floss that names PTFE, or feels unusually slippery, is a red flag. Green flags are the words silk, PFAS free, or PTFE free, and a plant based wax such as candelilla or beeswax.

Is silk floss better than nylon floss?

For most people yes. Silk floss is naturally PFAS free and fully biodegradable, so it avoids both the forever chemicals and the plastic. Nylon and polyester flosses can also be PFAS free, but the strand itself is plastic and does not break down. If you prefer a vegan option, look for a plant based or PFAS free labeled floss and accept that the strand is synthetic.

Oral Care

Best PFAS Free Dental Floss: Why Most Floss Is Coated in Teflon (2026)

By the Plastic Detox Editorial Team

Updated September 11, 2026 · 7 min read · This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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Types of dental floss on a marble background with the headline is your floss Teflon

The reason your floss glides so smoothly between tight teeth is usually a coating of PTFE, the same slippery plastic as Teflon. It is a member of the PFAS family, the forever chemicals, and it does not stay on the string.

The 30 Second Summary

That "glide" is often Teflon. Slick flosses are frequently coated in PTFE, a PFAS polymer, so the string slides more easily against your gums.
It shows up in your blood. A 2019 study tied Oral-B Glide use to higher PFAS levels, and 2024 lab testing found Glide at 248,900 ppm organic fluorine, a record high for a consumer product.
All three picks are PFAS free and plastic free. Our three silk picks, Dental Lace, Hemli Home, and TreeBird, are plastic free and biodegradable. Cocofloss, the popular vegan option, is a polyester strand, which is plastic, so it is not one of them.
Read the label: "glide," "comfort," and "smooth" are red flags. "Silk," "PFAS free," and "PTFE free" are green flags.
Do not fall for "bamboo" or "biodegradable." Bamboo charcoal floss is almost always nylon with a coating, and "biodegradable" picks ride on a plastic thread. Only silk is genuinely plastic free.

Our Top Picks

Silk, plastic free: Dental Lace, Hemli Home, or TreeBird

Get your free 90 day plan to cut plastic exposure, ranked by what matters most. Get the Free Plan →

1 in 3

flosses tested had PFAS (2024, 39 products)

248,900

ppm organic fluorine in Oral-B Glide, a record high

Higher

PFAS blood levels in Glide users (2019 study)

1. The Research, in Plain English

Two pieces of research turned floss from a boring health habit into a headline.

What the Studies Found

A Fair Update

Oral-B now says it no longer makes Glide with PTFE and that none of its floss contains PFAS. It has not publicly detailed what replaced the Teflon or when every pack changed over. That may be real progress, but if you want certainty, choose a floss that is explicitly tested PFAS free.

2. Why Floss Has Teflon in It

PFAS is not a contaminant here. It is added on purpose. PTFE is the slipperiest material in the world, so a thin coat lets the string shoot between tight contacts without shredding. The problem is that flossing is abrasive by design, and the coating rubs off against your gums and into the tissue.

The "Glide" Effect, Decoded

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PFAS are called forever chemicals because they do not break down in the body or the environment. They have been linked to hormone disruption, immune effects, and certain cancers. A floss you use daily, right against soft gum tissue, is a route worth closing.

3. How to Spot PFAS Floss

No label lists PFAS outright. But the marketing words give it away.

The Floss Label Decoder

4. The Best PFAS Free Flosses

All four are confirmed PFAS free, and we found no recalls for any of them. Here is the key point: only silk is also plastic free and biodegradable. Three of our four picks are silk coated in candelilla wax, Dental Lace, Hemli Home, and TreeBird, so pick whichever suits you on the container and price. Cocofloss, the popular vegan option, is a polyester strand, which is plastic, so it is not one of them.

Dental Lace refillable silk floss in a glass jar

$$ · SILK · BEST OVERALL

Dental Lace Silk Floss

100 percent mulberry silk coated in candelilla plant wax. PFAS and PTFE free, and the strand is fully biodegradable. Refillable glass jar with recyclable spools. On the Center for Environmental Health PFAS free list.

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$$ · SILK · BEST REVIEWED

Hemli Home Peace Silk Floss

Peace silk coated in candelilla plant wax, and the best reviewed silk floss we found. PFAS free, BPA free, and fully biodegradable. This version ships with a refillable glass container plus compostable refill packaging.

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TreeBird pure silk floss kit with stainless steel dispenser