Colgate Total Waxed Dental Floss
Lower concern. Nylon floss with wax coating, no PFAS statement on record.
Dental floss with nylon filament and wax coating. The wax coating is disclosed and is not a fluorochemical. Colgate has no PFAS statement on record for this product.
The better-graded swap
Cocofloss
Cocofloss Dental Floss
100/100 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
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Colgate Total Waxed Dental Floss is made of, ingredients and materials
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.
What’s concerning
Disclosed non-fluorinated coating
Coating is named and is not a fluorochemical (wax, paraffin, mink oil).
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand 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 ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
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 is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 62% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Colgate has made a specific claim
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Colgate Total Waxed Dental Floss?
- Plant-based waxed fiber floss
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Fragrance allergens and sensitizers
- nylon monofilament
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Microplastics
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Coconut fiber-based floss
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Microbial growth in natural fiber storage
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.