Colgate Total Waxed Dental Floss
Lower concern, but wax coating origins unclear; no brand PFAS disclosure.
Dental floss with wax coating for water resistance. Colgate provides no PFAS information. Nylon and wax are typically PFAS-free, but coating source unspecified.
The safe swap
Floss & Ploss
Love of Earth Co. Floss + Glass Case
90/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Nylon floss with wax coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
cosmetics is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Heavy metals
Wax origin (petroleum-derived paraffin vs. beeswax vs. plant wax blend) is not disclosed by Colgate. If mineral oil-based, residual heavy metal contamination is theoretically possible but not reported. Beeswax carries no known toxicological concern. Without independent testing or brand disclosure, this remains speculative.
Source: FDA ↗PFAS
Wax coatings on dental floss may contain fluorinated additives or may be manufactured using PFAS-based processing agents; Colgate does not disclose. This product received a PFAS safety grade of 30/100 (Poor) due to opaque sourcing. See separate PFAS assessment.
Source: ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Nylon microfiber ingestion
Nylon floss does not shed microfibers during normal use; breakage is rare and pieces that might detach are too large to be inhaled or cause GI obstruction in adults. No documented incidents recorded for this product line.
Gum abrasion or irritation from floss material
Nylon and wax are well-tolerated by oral soft tissues. Irritation is caused by aggressive flossing technique, not material toxicity. No sensitization or allergic reactions are documented for this product.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Colgate Total Waxed Floss is typically white/light colored and formulations do not require formaldehyde-based resins or hazardous azo dyes for this application. No evidence of such additives has surfaced in available safety literature.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Colgate Total Waxed Floss is nylon filament coated with wax (likely paraffin or beeswax blend, composition not fully disclosed by brand). Nylon is a synthetic polymer that does not leach plasticizers or bisphenols during normal use in the mouth because it remains at oral temperature and is not heated. The wax coating reduces fraying and improves glide but is not ingested in meaningful quantity; small amounts swallowed pose negligible toxicological risk given wax's inertness in the GI tract.
The brand's record and disclosure
Colgate-Palmolive maintains modest transparency on oral care formulations but does not publish detailed material sourcing or PFAS testing for floss products. No recalls or safety alerts specific to Colgate Total Waxed Floss exist in FDA or consumer safety databases. The brand has faced historical scrutiny on triclosan and microbeads in other products, but Colgate Total Waxed Floss contains neither. Colgate does not claim PFAS-free status for this product, and wax origin remains undisclosed.
How it compares in its category
Waxed nylon floss is the most common form globally and carries no recognized safety disadvantage versus unwaxed nylon or silk alternatives. Silk floss is biodegradable but often coated with the same wax types. Colgate's product is mid-range in category and does not stand out as higher or lower risk than store-brand waxed nylon floss. Water flossers and tape options present no material safety advantage for this hazard class.
If you buy it
Use as directed: floss once daily, use gentle sawing motions to avoid gum trauma. Store in a cool, dry place to prevent wax softening (not a practical concern in normal bathrooms). Discard the entire spool once the wax coat visibly degrades or becomes sticky; typically every 12 months. Do not heat floss or store near direct sunlight. Small amounts of wax swallowed during use are harmless; no ingestion risk exists under normal flossing.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 62% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Colgate has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Dental Floss
Floss & Ploss
Love of Earth Co. Floss + Glass Case
Dental floss (plant-based or silk) and glass case
Fragrance allergens or undisclosed additives
Limited concern
Microbial growth if floss is stored damp
Limited concern
Lower concern. Floss and glass are inherently PFAS-free materials.
⚠Risky category by default
Waterpik
Cordless 1000 Water Flosser
Plastic housing, ABS/nylon components, stainless steel tip, silicone seals
Silicone seal breakdown and leaching
Limited concern
Bacterial biofilm in water reservoir
Limited concern
Electronic component exposure if housing cracks
Limited concern
Lower-concern water flosser; no known PFAS-prone materials.
⚠Risky category by default
Floss & Ploss
Burst Refillable Expanding Mint Dental Floss Set
Nylon dental floss, likely polyester core
Fragrance allergens (mint flavoring)
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding during use
Limited concern
Coating or wax additives (undisclosed)
Limited concern
Low PFAS risk, but brand silence limits assurance.
⚠Risky category by default
More dental floss grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.