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Flossing can cause cancer
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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We may be exposing ourselves to carcinogens at precisely the moments when we seem to be taking care of our own health. Dental floss, experts believe, can cause cancer over time.
When we talk about limiting contact with plastic, or even eliminating it from our lives, the issue of oral hygiene is unlikely to come to mind. We think of plastic water bottles and food products in plastic packaging. But there is also a lot of hazardous plastic in regular dental floss.
Once upon a time, dental floss was made from regular thread treated with wax. Wax was the key ingredient, as it helped the floss slide more freely between teeth. This is especially important for those people who have a rather cramped space. But plastic appeared, which amazed the imagination with its versatility and low cost. And today, there is a very high probability that the dental floss in your bathroom is not covered with wax, but with perfluorinated polymer (PFP).
The same coating found on a frying pan is known as Teflon. It prevents food from burning during frying. Teflon is found in the coatings of some fast food packaging. The main problem with this substance is that it doesn't stick to a thread very well. When the teeth rub, the Teflon peels off and goes straight into our body.
Perfluorinated polymers are not only carcinogenic, which threatens the development of oncological diseases. They also harm the immune system and negatively affect hormonal levels. Of course, the amount of PFP that we get after using dental floss is still negligible, and is unlikely to pose a health hazard. But these substances, unfortunately, have the property of "sticking" to the body and accumulating. And if you use "plastic" threads for a long time, then this may eventually end sadly.