Does flossing contain carcinogens and thinning teeth?

In addition to brushing, many people choose to floss for daily cleaning. However, studies show that some types of floss contain carcinogens, so there has been a lot of debate on this issue. So should we be flossing after all?

Flossing between teeth can help maintain oral health, but studies show that some types of floss actually contain carcinogens.

Keep teeth and gums healthy to avoid oral diseases and chronic diseases

Many studies have confirmed that oral diseases have a great relationship with many chronic diseases. For example, patients with severe caries have a higher risk of coronary heart disease, patients with periodontal disease are more prone to dementia, periodontal disease is also closely related to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Taking periodontal disease for example, prevention focuses on removing plaque and tartar to control alveolar bone destruction and gingivitis, and keep teeth and gums healthy. Besides brushing, flossing is also an important preventive measure.

3 great benefits of flossing to remove food debris, plaque

Here are 3 benefits of using dental floss:

1. Remove food debris between teeth

Food residues stuck between teeth are not easily removed with toothbrushes and toothpicks, at this time, flossing is an effective measure.

Because the floss can easily enter the narrow gap between the teeth, it has the effect of removing the dirt between the teeth, even the plaque and soft tartar, cleaning between the teeth thoroughly.

2. Thoroughly remove plaque

Teeth have 5 sides, but brushing can only clean up to 3 sides. If the plaque and tartar between the teeth are not removed, it will easily cause tooth decay and tartar deposition leading to gingivitis. The floss 'scavengers' can do this interdental cleaning job.

A 2015 literature review in the Journal of Clinical Periodic Biology found that manual brushing only removed about 42% of plaque, with electric toothbrushes outperforming 46%.

A systematic review in the Cochrane Library in 2019 analyzed 12 clinical trials involving 582 floss users. Results found that flossing removed 4% to 7% more plaque.

3. Prevent or reduce gingivitis

The aforementioned 2019 study also found that flossing in combination with brushing reduced mild gum disease or gingivitis significantly better than brushing alone.

Flossing in combination with brushing reduces mild gum disease or gingivitis significantly better than brushing alone.

Although flossing has benefits for oral health, there is still some doubt and controversy.

Some doubts and controversies about the use of dental floss

1. Does flossing make teeth thinner?

Some people worry that flossing in and out of their teeth will cause their teeth to become loose. In fact, this concern is redundant. Flossing correctly will not widen the gap between the teeth because the gap is already large enough for a very thin thread of floss to pass through.

If you really feel the gap between your teeth is getting bigger, you need to observe whether you are flossing correctly and whether it hurts your gums. At the same time, you should also go to the doctor in time to check for receding gums.

2. Do dental floss contain carcinogens?

In 2019, the journal Science of Exposure and Environmental Epidemiology (JESEE) of the academic journal Nature published a study showing that using dental floss to clean teeth can lead to increased levels of Perfluoroalkyls Substances (PFAS) in vivo. 

PFAS are synthetic chemicals with oil and water repellent properties, so they are widely used in consumer goods and industrial processes such as dental floss, non-stick pans, food wrap, carpets, furniture furniture, textiles…

PFAS includes substances such as PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFHxS. In which PFOA and PFOS have the largest output, during the production of Teflon materials, it is necessary to add PFOA or PFOS as auxiliary substances.

PFAS is not easily degraded, is highly bioaccumulative and persistent, can maintain its structure in the body and is long-lasting. The substance has been detected in water and soil, and in nearly all Americans.

PFOA has been classified as a group 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Several studies have found that exposure to PFOA and PFOS may have different effects on the body: Increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer in adults, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease , PFOA has also been associated with decreased sex and growth hormones in children.

Flossing can increase levels of the synthetic chemical PFAS in your body. (Photo: Alliance Images/ Shutterstock)

So when the aforementioned study indicated that flossing could lead to an increase in PFAS in the body, concerns were raised.

The researchers recruited 178 middle-aged women for questionnaires and blood samples. It was found that women who regularly flossed Oral-B Glide had 24.9% higher blood PFHxS levels than those who did not floss.

Meanwhile, the study found that fluorine was detected in 6 out of 18 floss products. In which, 3 products belong to Oral line, 2 are other brands of dental floss. The researchers believe that fluorine-detecting floss is more likely to contain Teflon.

However, the researchers also point out that more data is needed to validate the findings, such as whether PFAS from dental floss can transfer to saliva.

So what about those who are using or have used Teflon floss?

In this regard, Mr. Wang Wei Mu, Director of the International Medical Department of Yueting Dental Medical Group, said that in the currently known research, there is no direct evidence that PFAS will be Released from Teflon-containing floss, there is also no evidence that PFAS on dental floss passes into humans. So don't panic if you're flossing with Teflon.

Of course, those who still have doubts about this can also choose to use PFAS-free floss or water floss.

Another alternative to flossing is using a water flosser with excellent results in removing food particles stuck between teeth.