Is dental floss biodegradable? (5 eco-friendly dental flosses)

The article will target the biodegradability of dental floss while also covering aspects such as

Composting
Recycling
Reusing
Eco-friendly options

Is dental floss biodegradable?

There are two major types of dental floss. One is made from non-biodegradable materials such as nylon or Teflon. This type will not be biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable. The only thing you can do is to discard the regular waste and it will remain in the landfills for many years.

However, there is another type which is made from renewable materials such as silk or bamboo. This one is biodegradable and also can be composted given that there are no harmful chemicals involved.

Also, there are a number of green brands that make eco-friendly dental floss which offer the following advantages:

Biodegradable
Compostable
Certified
Renewable
Reusable
PCR use

Is dental floss made from natural materials or non-natural materials?

The answer is both. Floss is made from both natural and non-natural materials. As it turns out, there are two main types of dental floss out there. One is made from petroleum products such as nylon and coated with gel-like chemicals such as Teflon. Such types of dental floss will remain in the environment for a very long time and therefore, will not be categorised as biodegradable.

However, with the rising eco-concern, there is increasing use of natural materials that benefit the environment better. This brings us to the second type of dental floss which is made from plant sources such as bamboo or other plants.

The good thing here is that these sources are readily biorenewable. Let us take the case of bamboo fibres. These fibres are readily available and they can renew in a very short span of time, unlike fossil fuels which may take almost forever.

How does conventional floss affect the environment?

It has been established before that conventional flosses are made from non-biodegradable materials such as nylon or Teflon. On top of that, these flosses are coated with harmful chemicals that do not do much good to the environment.

Based on that, there are detrimental effects that are anticipated on conventional flosses on the environment.

One of the most eminent problems that are caused by conventional flosses is that these flosses will lead to waste problems.

Conventional flosses, made from non-biodegradable materials such as nylon, will remain in the environment for a very long time, maybe several hundred years.

This will add to the waste issues. The world already is experiencing dire situations when it comes to waste generation as more than 2 billion tons of waste is generated every year. This figure is expected to increase up to 3 billion tons.

Also, it is not just about waste accumulation. Conventional flosses can also end up in natural ecosystems such as aquatic and marine ecosystems. There, the remnants of these flosses can disturb the natural order and can cause life loss and other associated complications.

The negative consequences may travel at many levels and aspects of food chains and thus, many species can get affected.

What is the best way to dispose of dental floss?

The disposal options will vary based on the subjective cases because if dental floss is made from natural materials such as bamboo, it can be put up for composting. However, this luxury will not be available in the case of non-biodegradable conventional floss. Therefore, let us segregate the case and offer related deliberations.

Conventional floss

When it comes to conventional floss, there is not much you can do. You can dispose of conventional floss in the regular trash. The expected fate of such floss will end up in landfills where it will remain for hundreds of years.

Recycling

Many people wonder if they can recycle dental floss made from nylon or Teflon. The fact of the matter is that in many cases, it is not possible because the floss is extremely thin and it is not possible or feasible to recycle conventional floss.

Composting

Since conventional floss is made from non-biodegradable material, there is no organic material present inside. Therefore, it is not possible to compost nylon-based floss.

Composting can only be done with organic waste so that environmental benefits may be offered to soil and plants.

Reusing

It is not advisable to reuse nylon-based floss because of two major reasons. One is that the quality of floss will deteriorate every time it is used and secondly, the used floss may pick up bacteria or other microbes and therefore, there can be health complications associated.

Therefore, you can use dental floss one or two times but be careful to not use it more because of the associated risks.

Eco-friendly floss

The case of eco-friendly floss, compared with conventional floss, with the pretext of disposal in mind, will vary because of the nature and source of materials used.

Eco-friendly flosses can also not be recycled because of the same complications. The threads can damage the recycling machinery and the processing will need to be extremely meticulous.

However, one stood out the difference that exists is that eco-friendly floss, as it is made from plant-based materials, can be composted. However, you need to make sure that there are no synthetic chemicals used.

The composting can be done through the following steps

Select a suitable place for composting
The place should be accessible as well
Shred the compostable material into small pieces to improve the efficiency and yield of the composting process
Make alternate layers of green and brown material. There should be aerators at the start of the pile.
Be sure to continuously mix up the pile so that there is proper aeration.
Also be sure to provide the right external conditions such as pressure, sunlight, and aeration
Mix up the pile every week
The compost should be ready in 5-8 months

The context of reusing eco-friendly floss is very similar to that of conventional floss. Therefore, it can be assumed that the major factors where the discrepancies appear are the aspects of biodegradation and composting.

What are some eco-friendly dental flosses?

It has been well established in the previous sections that eco-friendly floss made from biorenewable and renewable materials is much better as compared to conventional floss made from nylon, a non-biodegradable polymer.

Therefore, the imperative question that still remains is what is eco-friendly floss one can depend on to make sure that there is the least damage done to the environment.

When it comes to eco-friendly floss, the factor that affects the most is that the floss must be made from natural, biodegradable and compostable materials. You also need to ensure that there are no chemicals used so that these environmental aspects may be taken full advantage of.

When it comes to eco-friendly floss, the names that top the charts include

Tree bird Pure Silk Eco Floss
Wowe Silk Floss
Thrive Market Gentle Tape Floss
Dental Lace Floss
Geo Organics Dental Floss

The reasons why these names have been added in the list is because of the following factors

These products are made from plant-based and animal-based materials such as silk or bamboo
These products are coated in plant-based waxes such as candelilla wax.
These products often come in reusable bottles which means less waste generation
Many of these products make use of recycled material in their packaging
The products are often certified through third-party certifications that add to the authenticity of eco-friendliness of the products

Conclusion

It is concluded that there are two major types of dental floss. One is made from non-biodegradable materials such as nylon or Teflon. This type will not be biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable. The only thing you can do is to discard the regular waste and it will remain in the landfills for many years.