My efforts to remove plastic from every part of my routine continue with the second item, also related to teeth: Dental Floss.
Until I saw an Instagram reel flash by that was talking about a class action lawsuit, it never occurred to me that dental floss could be harmful in any way. But when I saw my usual brand as the company being targeted in the lawsuit, I decided to investigate.
The suit alleged that there were dangerous PFAS, more commonly known as “forever chemicals,” in the floss, meaning each time you used it you were potentially jamming harmful substances up into your gums. Substances that often come from the production of … plastic! This, coupled with the news that poor oral health can increase your chances of getting dementia, gave me pause.
Spoiler alert: The big corporation won the lawsuit. Not because their product was proven to be entirely safe, but because the studies weren’t extensive enough. Not satisfied, I kept digging and found the evidence I was hoping for, then began trying various non-chemical brands.
So … after years of satin gliding, I’m now a happy customer of Cocofloss, which has a fantastic reputation and also offers unconventional flavors so you don’t have to settle for boring mint (unless you want to) every time. Plus, all of their packaging is cardboard or recycled plastic, so no new plastic is generated in their production.
Stay tuned for my next swap (I promise the third installment won’t have anything to do with teeth)!