The authors of the study say this is the first time that the use of certain varieties of dental floss is associated with higher concentrations of chemicals known as PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances.

With a traditional bridge, an artificial tooth is held in place on both sides by crowns on adjacent teeth.Oral-B Glide Detoxifying Mint Floss Picks infused with Tea Tree Oil helps remove plaque and prevent gingivitis. These chemicals have been linked to liver damage, harm to the immune system, developmental issues, and cancer, and can persist in people’s bodies and in the environment for many years. Hydro Floss irrigators are what we primarily recommend, as they use magnets to ionize water—which studies show decreases plaque and calculus accumulation.

We just want each of you to find what works best for your mouth and help you stay as healthy as possible. Multiple hygienists on the Dental Professionals team raved about this product and use it themselves as their go-to floss at home. Because there are so many sources of PFAS, and every exposure adds up, any steps that people can take to reduce their exposure is a good thing. Tests also confirmed that the company's Glide floss—along with several of its competitors—contained fluorine, a marker of PFAS chemicals. That’s why our doctors and hygienists have spent years testing out virtually every product out there, learning which products help our patients and their personalized needs because not everyone needs the same product.

There needs to be some notice here that traditional flosses do not pose this health issue and therefore flossing with them is still recommended,” he said. Zhanna likes that it doesn’t shred and loves the variety of flavors, saying “it comes in mint, different fruit flavors, chocolate, and even gelato. In our practice, we do strongly believe in the effectiveness of oral irrigators that ALL patients who undergo Perio 360 gum disease treatment are given one. PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they tend to remain in the human body and environment indefinitely.

If you live in the Chicago area and don’t have a dentist, book an appointment online at our two convenient locations. In response to the study, Oral-B denied in a statement to USA Today that they found any toxic substances in their product. Despite widespread use, PFAS exposure in humans is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, including kidney and testicular cancer, decreased semen quality, and ulcerative colitis.The truth is, we all have PFAS in our bodies—from lots of different sources—and it's smarter to focus on avoiding future exposure rather than worry about what's already happened. The study, led by Silent Spring Institute in collaboration with the Public Health Institute in Berkeley, CA, appears online . Risewell is especially unique as it offers hydroxyapatite-infused dental floss, designed to help remineralize the surfaces between teeth, which is an important part of preventing tooth decay from dietary acid.

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency consider PFAS a source of potential toxic exposure for humans. Out of the 18 dental flosses tested, six brands were found to contain detectable levels of fluorine, a marker of PFAS. Among African Americans, frequently eating food prepared in coated cardboard containers (like French fries and take-out) was also linked to higher levels. She completed her internal medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship through the Physician Scientist Development Program at the University of Chicago. A 2019 study showed that some women who had flossed with Glide had elevated levels of perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) in their blood compared to non-flossers, and fluorine compounds were identified in Glide (as well as 5 other brands of floss out of 18 brands tested).

Unsurprisingly, living in a city with PFAS-contaminated drinking water—and living in a house with stain-resistant carpets or furniture—were also linked to higher PFAS levels in the blood.