Oral hygiene has a long history. The first recorded use goes as far back as Natives who used yucca tree fibres to clean between teeth. An American dentist, Levi Spear Parmly, invented silk floss in 1790, and some form of silk floss was used until the 1940s with the introduction of nylon.

The majority of floss is made of nylon which is a synthetic petroleum based (plastic) material. Nylon can take up to 80 years to naturally break down in the environment. So it is neither sustainable nor biodegradable.

Most floss that is manufactured and distributed to dental offices is made from another synthetic material, polytetrafluoroethylene.
Floss can then have wax coating added so that it glides between teeth easier. Flavours and fluoride are also common additives.
The container that dental floss is typically sold in often contains more plastic than the floss itself.

A lot of the world’s plastic garbage ends up in the Oceans eventually, and it is worth noting that dental floss is actually one of the top ten wastes that are deadliest to marine life. Discarded floss is easily consumed as food and can prevent a strangulation hazard to animals.

There are natural alternatives that will allow one to still practice good oral hygiene and be more mindful of the environment.
• Natural, biodegradable flosses
• A Waterpick
• Plague removal sticks
• Toothpicks – not as effective as flossing but better than nothing, especially if used just before brushing

Which leads to the question what is the best way to dispose of floss?
If you currently have nylon floss in your house and do not want to continue using it, please do not simply throw it away, either find another use for it or see if you can recycle it anywhere.
Never dispose of floss down the toilet! Biodegradable or nylon, floss should never be thrown down the toilet as it will ultimately end up in the waterways without the possibility of decomposing.
Biodegradable floss should be thrown into the compost with other food waste. For those with a municipal collection service this is an easy feat, for those who compost at home, it is possible that the floss may not decompose as fast as other waste, and it may need to be churned in the composter a second time.