Does Dental Floss Contain PFAS? Oral-B Glide, PTFE, and PFAS-Free Floss Swaps

Quick answer: Some dental floss is made from PTFE, the fluoropolymer sold as Teflon, and PTFE is a PFAS. Consumer Reports, in an article updated January 18, 2025, reported that Procter & Gamble said the material in Oral-B Glide Pro-Health dental floss contains PTFE. A 2019 study led by Silent Spring Institute found that women who reported using Oral-B Glide had higher blood levels of one PFAS, PFHxS, and that a fluorine screen was positive for all three Glide products it tested. That is an association in one study. It is not proof that flossing causes disease. The American Dental Association said the data were not sufficient to support the study's conclusions and still says to clean between your teeth every day. If you want a floss without PTFE, look for an explicit no-PFAS or no-PTFE statement. Minnesota has barred the sale of dental floss with intentionally added PFAS since January 1, 2025.

Below is what the study measured, what the ADA disputed, and the floss linked from our non-toxic products directory. PTFE on pans is a separate product, covered in the PFAS-free cookware comparison.

Does dental floss contain PFAS?

Some of it does, and a lot of it does not say. PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is the slick fiber used in some tape-style floss. Silent Spring's FAQ on the 2019 study calls PTFE a PFAS polymer, best known by the brand name Teflon. On the same point, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says Teflon is the trademarked name for PTFE and that PTFE is one member of the PFAS family. Minnesota's statute defines PFAS as fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.

Federal law does not currently require floss makers to print ingredients or materials on the package. Consumer Reports says that gap is why a "glides easily" claim is hard to decode. A listing that names PTFE or Teflon is telling you the fiber is a PFAS. A listing that never names the fiber is not a test result.

Is Oral-B Glide made from PTFE?

Procter & Gamble, which owns Oral-B Glide, told Consumer Reports that the floss material contains PTFE. The company said it uses PTFE because of its "unique sliding performance and silkiness." It also said PTFE is safe, and that the floss does not contain PFOS or PFOA, two PFAS chemicals that have been largely phased out of production.

That manufacturer statement lines up with the reason Silent Spring tested Glide in the first place. The institute's FAQ says Glide was developed by Gore, the company known for GORE-TEX, and that Oral-B had described PTFE as one type of dental floss.

PTFE is a large fluoropolymer. It is not the same chemical as the smaller PFAS compounds labs usually measure in blood, including PFHxS, PFOA, and PFOS. P&G can say the floss is made from PTFE and also say those smaller blood chemicals are not ingredients. Both statements can be true. The open question, which the researchers flag, is whether smaller PFAS show up as impurities, processing leftovers, or byproducts.

What did the 2019 floss study measure?

The paper is Boronow and colleagues, "Serum concentrations of PFASs and exposure-related behaviors in African American and non-Hispanic white women," published online January 8, 2019, in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. Silent Spring Institute led the work with the Public Health Institute's Child Health and Development Studies.

Researchers measured PFAS in blood drawn from 178 middle-aged women between September 2010 and March 2013. Of those women, 87 were African American and 91 were non-Hispanic white. Interviews about product use came later, from July 2015 to April 2016, before participants saw their own chemical results. The floss question was whether, in the past month, they had used Oral-B Glide: never, or ever. Eighty-four women said ever. Ninety-four said never.

In a model that adjusted for race, education, coated cardboard food containers, nonstick cookware, microwave popcorn, stain-resistant carpet or furniture, and living in a city with PFAS in the public water supply, ever using Oral-B Glide was associated with 24.9% higher blood PFHxS. The 95% confidence interval ran from 0.2% to 55.7%. That interval is wide. The result cleared the study's bar for statistical significance, and only for PFHxS. The same model did not find a significant Glide association for PFOA, PFNA, PFDeA, PFOS, or Me-PFOSA-AcOH.

Lead author Katie Boronow told Silent Spring: "This is the first study to show that using dental floss containing PFAS is associated with a higher body burden of these toxic chemicals." The paper's own summary says the results "implicate exposure from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based dental floss for the first time" and that the finding "warrants prompt follow-up."

Two limits belong next to that number.

The behavior was reported years after the blood draw. The authors write that this may not be a grave limitation, because serum PFAS levels reflect long-term behavioral averages and people's habits are likely consistent. The ADA, discussed below, treats the same gap as a weakness.

The question mixed "does not floss" with "flosses with something else." People who used a PTFE floss other than Oral-B Glide were counted as "never." The authors say that likely weakened the association, because those participants had a similar source and were still placed in the comparison group.

The study did not measure cavities, cancer, cholesterol, or any other health outcome. It measured chemicals in blood and asked about products.

Which dental flosses tested positive for fluorine?

To see whether PTFE floss was actually on the shelf, the team screened 18 floss products from 26 packages for total fluorine. The method was particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy at Hope College. Samples were tested blind to brand. Fluorine is a marker. PIGE does not name which fluorinated chemical is present.

Fluorine was detected in 6 of the 18 products. For those six, typical readings were 1,000 to 3,000 counts per microcoulomb. The limit of detection was about 100 counts per microcoulomb. A strip of PTFE tape that filled the beam read about 10,000. The floss was narrower than the beam, so the lab could not turn those counts into an exact amount of fluorine. Silent Spring's FAQ says the positive readings were high enough that a fluoride coating for dental health is an unlikely explanation on its own, and that the levels were consistent with commercial Teflon tape. Products with no fluorine signal were treated as non-fluorinated and unlikely to contain PTFE.

The six positives, from Silent Spring's table of the products tested:

Product on the package	Fluorine detected	What the label or the FAQ adds
Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Original	Yes	One of the three Glide products
Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Mint	Yes	One of the three Glide products
Crest Glide Deep Clean Cool Mint Floss	Yes	Silent Spring notes Crest Glide was later rebranded as Oral-B Glide
CVS Health SuperSlip Ease Between Waxed	Yes	Package said "compare to Oral-B Glide"
Signature Care Mint Waxed Comfort Floss	Yes	Package said "compare to Oral-B Glide"
Colgate Total Dental Floss Mint	Yes	Marketed as a single-strand Teflon fiber

The other 12 products had no detectable fluorine: CVS Unwaxed; Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Dental Tape; EcoDent Gentle Floss Premium Dental Floss with Essential Oils Mint Vegan Waxed; Johnson & Johnson Listerine Cool Mint Mint Floss; Johnson & Johnson Reach Clean Paste Icy Mint Woven Floss; Johnson & Johnson Reach Mint Waxed; Reach Mint Waxed; Reach Waxed Unflavored; Oral-B Complete Deep Clean Ultra Mint; Oral-B Satin Floss Mint; Rite-Aid Premium Waxed Mint Floss; and Tom's of Maine Naturally Waxed Antiplaque Flat Floss.

Two details in that list are easy to miss. Not every Oral-B floss was positive. Oral-B Complete and Oral-B Satin had no detectable fluorine. And "compare to Glide" was not a perfect marker. The paper says two of three store brands with that phrase were positive. Rite-Aid Premium Waxed Mint Floss carried the phrase and had no detectable fluorine.

This is a screen of products collected for a 2019 paper, not a 2026 shelf survey. A brand can change its fiber. A non-detect in that table is not a current PFAS-free certification.

What did the ADA say about the study?

On January 14, 2019, the American Dental Association published a statement from its Science Institute. The ADA said the data were insufficient to support the conclusions in the research and in the news coverage. It noted that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which clears dental products sold to the public, had not restricted dental floss. It stressed that this was a single study of 178 women reporting use of many products and foods.

The ADA's specific chemical critique matches a limit the researchers also describe. The study measured fluorine as a marker of PTFE, while the blood difference was PFHxS. The ADA said finding that marker in several flosses does not mean the floss was the source of the PFHxS. It added that women who did and did not report using the brand likely differed in other ways.

The statement's last word on behavior is the one to keep: "The ADA sees no cause for concern based on current evidence, and above all continues to encourage people to clean between their teeth daily with floss or other interdental cleaner as part of the ADA's daily oral hygiene recommendations."

Silent Spring's FAQ records P&G's response from that period. The company asserted that none of the substances measured in the blood samples are used in its products. The FAQ says that does not mean the floss is not made from PTFE. The authors wrote that proprietary formulas limit what they can say about why PFHxS, rather than PFOA, was the chemical that differed. They note that earlier testing of PTFE floss extracts had found PFOA, which is why the PFHxS result surprised them. Their list of possibilities is an impurity in the floss, a chemical used in manufacturing, or a byproduct. They say further studies and more information from manufacturers are needed.

Does Minnesota ban PFAS in dental floss?

In Minnesota, yes, for products sold there. Amara's Law, Minnesota Statutes section 116.943, says that beginning January 1, 2025, a person may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale in the state a listed product if it contains intentionally added PFAS. Dental floss is item 5 on that list, alongside carpets, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, and six other categories. The statute defines "intentionally added" as PFAS deliberately added during manufacture so that PFAS stays in the finished product, or in a component, to do a job.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's page on the 2025 prohibitions repeats that list and defines the floss category. For this law, MPCA considers dental floss a product designed to clean between teeth where a toothbrush or interdental brush cannot reach, including floss and dental tape sold as a pre-cut strand or a continuous length.

The law is a sales restriction in one state. It is not a federal recall, and it does not govern stores in other states. It also does not tell you to throw out a spool you already own. The statute's prohibition is on selling, offering, or distributing the product in Minnesota. Resale of a used product is exempt. "Currently unavoidable use" exceptions do not apply to the 2025 categories, and the statute says dental floss cannot later be labeled a currently unavoidable use. A broader rule, covering products outside the 2025 list unless a use is deemed unavoidable, begins January 1, 2032.

Consumer Reports describes the same Minnesota rule and quotes MPCA research scientist Summer Streets saying PFAS is not necessary in dental floss because makers can use other coatings.

How do you pick a floss without PFAS?

Read the words on the listing. Consumer Reports' shopping list, from the same January 2025 article, is concrete.

Look for an explicit no-PFAS or no-PTFE line. "PFOA-free" only rules out one chemical. P&G already told Consumer Reports that Glide does not contain PFOA, and that the material is PTFE.

Treat a missing ingredient list as a missing fact. If the package does not name the fiber or the coating, Consumer Reports says to consider skipping it, especially when the marketing says "nonstick" or "glides easily."

Prefer a named wax that is not a fluoropolymer. Consumer Reports points to beeswax and plant waxes: carnauba, candelilla, jojoba, rice bran, and castor. It also says uncoated floss is an option, and that you should ask a dentist if you are not sure uncoated floss suits your teeth.

Silk or cotton is the plastic-free path. Consumer Reports says that if the material is not disclosed, assume plastic or PTFE, because that is what most floss is. This directory does not list a silk or cotton floss. Do not treat a 2019 non-detect as a substitute for a current claim on the package in your hand.

Floss options compared

Option	What the sources say	Reason to choose it	What it does not say
Oral-B Glide	P&G told Consumer Reports the material contains PTFE. The 2019 screen found fluorine in all three Glide products tested.	You already use it and your priority is simply to keep flossing	It is not a no-PFAS floss. P&G said it does not contain PFOS or PFOA.
Store brand "compare to Glide"	In the 2019 screen, two of three products with that phrase had detectable fluorine. Rite-Aid Premium Waxed Mint did not.	A prompt to read the current package	A 2019 result is not a test of the box on a 2026 shelf.
Cocofloss woven refill	The floss in this directory. The Amazon listing describes recycled polyester, coconut oil, and microcrystalline wax. COCOLAB says it is made without intentionally added PFAS.	Daily flossing when you want a textured floss and a maker statement of no intentionally added PFAS	The Amazon bullets for this 3-pack do not themselves say PFAS-free. It is polyester, not silk.
Silk or cotton with beeswax, carnauba, or candelilla	Consumer Reports' suggestion for people who want to skip PFAS coatings and plastic fiber	When that listing names the fiber, names the wax, and states no PFAS or no PTFE	This directory does not list one.

The floss in this directory

Cocofloss Woven Dental Floss is the oral-care floss in this directory. The Amazon listing, ASIN B0CYDN1948, is a mint 3-pack of refills, dispenser sold separately. The listing says dentist Chrystle Cu designed a weave of 500 or more interwoven threads, infused with coconut oil and microcrystalline wax, spun from about 85% recycled water bottles. Each refill is 33 yards of recycled polyester, about two months for one person. The bullets also say it is free of parabens and sulfates and is Leaping Bunny certified. Those bullets do not use the words PFAS or PTFE.

The PFAS claim comes from the company, not from those Amazon bullets. COCOLAB's Delightful Mint page, the mint woven floss with the same coconut oil, microcrystalline wax, and 33-yard spool, says it is "BPA-free, non-PTFE with no added PFAS." COCOLAB's help center, updated May 9, 2025, says Cocofloss is made without intentionally added PFAS and is coated with wax and coconut oil rather than a PFAS or PTFE coating. The same page says materials are screened by TÜV Rheinland, an ISO-accredited lab, for known PFAS compounds, and that the floss is made in a facility where PFAS may be present because those chemicals are widespread in the environment. Consumer Reports reported that Cocofloss gave a full ingredient list and confirmed, or claims, that it does not intentionally add PFAS.

Consumer Reports also flags a separate issue with petroleum waxes such as microcrystalline wax and paraffin: they can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons if they are not properly refined. This listing uses microcrystalline wax. That is a different question from PTFE, and this guide does not have a lab result for the wax in the spool.

Should you keep flossing?

Yes. Keep cleaning between your teeth. The ADA still recommends a daily interdental cleaner, floss or otherwise, and said it saw no cause for concern from this evidence. Consumer Reports, which spent the article on how to avoid PFAS in floss, quotes dental experts that any dental floss is better than no dental floss.

If you want to avoid PTFE, switch the product and keep the habit. A Glide spool or a store brand whose only clue is "compare to Glide" is the style the 2019 screen flagged. A floss whose maker states that it is made without PFAS or PTFE is the swap. Bleeding gums, shredding, or a tight contact are reasons to ask a dentist which floss fits, not reasons to skip the step.

1. Keep the daily habit. The ADA's advice did not change after the study.
2. Read the fiber. PTFE or Teflon on the package means the floss is a PFAS.
3. Do not treat "PFOA-free" as "PFAS-free."
4. Prefer a listing that says no PFAS or no PTFE in those words.
5. The floss this directory links is the Cocofloss refill. The no-intentional-PFAS statement is on COCOLAB's help page and in Consumer Reports' account of what the company said.

Frequently asked questions

Is Teflon dental floss a PFAS?

Yes. Teflon is a brand name for PTFE. Silent Spring's FAQ calls PTFE a PFAS polymer. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says PTFE is one member of the PFAS family. Glide is the floss Procter & Gamble told Consumer Reports is made with PTFE.

Did Glide users have higher levels of every PFAS the study measured?

No. In the adjusted model, Oral-B Glide use was associated with higher PFHxS only: 24.9%, with a 95% confidence interval from 0.2% to 55.7%. The paper does not report a significant Glide association for PFOA, PFNA, PFDeA, PFOS, or Me-PFOSA-AcOH.

Can a fluorine test prove a floss contains PFHxS?

No. PIGE measures fluorine. It does not identify PFHxS, PFOA, or any other named PFAS. Silent Spring says a fluoride coating cannot be ruled out entirely, but the positive flosses had so much fluorine that a fluoride coating is an unlikely explanation on its own. The ADA's critique is the other half: a PTFE marker in the floss does not prove that floss was the source of PFHxS in blood.

Were all Oral-B flosses positive for fluorine in 2019?

No. All three Glide products in the screen were positive, including Crest Glide, which Silent Spring says was later rebranded as Oral-B Glide. Oral-B Complete Deep Clean Ultra Mint and Oral-B Satin Floss Mint had no detectable fluorine.

Does "PFOA-free" on floss mean it is PFAS-free?

No. PFOA is one chemical. Procter & Gamble told Consumer Reports that Glide does not contain PFOA or PFOS and that the floss material is PTFE. PTFE is itself a PFAS. Look for the words PFAS or PTFE.

Is the Cocofloss Amazon listing labeled PFAS-free?

The listing for the mint 3-pack, ASIN B0CYDN1948, does not say PFAS-free or PTFE-free. It describes recycled polyester, coconut oil, and microcrystalline wax. COCOLAB's Delightful Mint page says that woven floss is non-PTFE with no added PFAS, and its help page says Cocofloss is made without intentionally added PFAS. Consumer Reports reported that company confirmation.

Does the Minnesota floss rule apply in every state?

No. Minnesota Statutes section 116.943 restricts selling, offering, or distributing dental floss with intentionally added PFAS in Minnesota, beginning January 1, 2025. The MPCA defines that category as floss and dental tape used between teeth. Other states are not covered by that statute. The law is not a recall of floss you already have at home.

Should I throw away PTFE floss and stop until I find a replacement?

The ADA says to keep cleaning between your teeth every day and that this study was not cause for concern. Consumer Reports says any floss is better than none. If avoiding PTFE matters to you, replace a Glide-style floss with one whose maker states it is made without PFAS or PTFE, and do not skip days while you do it.

Bottom line

Glide is a PTFE floss, and PTFE is a PFAS. One study of 178 women found higher blood PFHxS among those who reported using it, and a fluorine screen lit up the Glide products and a few lookalikes. The ADA says that is not enough evidence to worry or to stop. The practical path is to keep flossing and, when you want a non-PTFE option, buy a floss that says so. The one in our non-toxic products directory is Cocofloss.

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Sources

• Boronow KE, Brody JG, Schaider LA, Peaslee GF, Havas L, Cohn BA. Serum concentrations of PFASs and exposure-related behaviors in African American and non-Hispanic white women. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. 2019;29(2):206–217. DOI: 10.1038/s41370-018-0109-y
• Silent Spring Institute, Dental flossing and other behaviors linked with higher levels of PFAS in the body (January 8, 2019)
• Silent Spring Institute, FAQ on the dental floss study
• Silent Spring Institute, Table: brands of dental floss tested
• American Dental Association, ADA Statement on Study Involving Dental Floss (Chicago, January 14, 2019)
• Consumer Reports, How to Choose Dental Floss Without PFAS and Other Harmful Chemicals (updated January 18, 2025)
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 2025 PFAS prohibitions
• Minnesota Statutes section 116.943, Amara's Law
• COCOLAB, Delightful Mint Dental Floss
• COCOLAB Help Center, Does Cocofloss contain any PFAS? (updated May 9, 2025)

For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Product descriptions reflect the manufacturer's Amazon listing in this site's product directory, and the company statements cited above, at the time of writing.

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