Gum Dental Floss Waxed Expandable 40M for Interdental Care
Low PFAS risk; dental floss category rarely treated with forever chemicals.
Dental floss is a low-concern product category with minimal PFAS exposure risk. GUM discloses no PFAS-related information but standard nylon and wax formulations do not typically contain PFAS.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Nylon filament, wax coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Gum Dental Floss Waxed Expandable 40M is made of, ingredients and materials
GUM Dental Floss is nylon filament coated with wax, a standard formulation for interdental cleaning. Nylon is a synthetic polymer with no established leaching risk during oral use; the wax coating (typically plant or mineral-derived) serves as a lubricant and does not dissolve significantly in saliva. This material composition avoids the degradation concerns seen in some older floss types and presents no known toxicity pathway for a product used briefly and then discarded.
What’s concerning
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.
Fragrance allergens or undisclosed additives
GUM Floss does not list fragrance as an ingredient, reducing allergen exposure. However, detailed ingredient disclosure (e.g., specific wax type, processing aids) is not publicly available, leaving minor uncertainty about trace additives.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nylon floss does not employ formaldehyde-releasing preservatives or adhesive resins. No residue of this hazard class is documented in dental floss products.
Source, ATSDR ↗Heavy metals
Nylon polymer and standard wax coatings do not accumulate lead, cadmium, or mercury. No contamination of this type has been reported in GUM or peer products in this category.
Source, FDA ↗Phthalates
The floss spool is typically high-density plastic or cardboard; no phthalate-containing flexible PVC is standard in this product category. No recalls or warnings on record for GUM spools.
Source, ATSDR ↗1,4-dioxane contamination
This hazard is specific to products with ethoxylated surfactants or specific preservative chemistry. Dental floss relies on mechanical action and wax lubrication, not surfactants, so 1,4-dioxane is not a plausible contaminant pathway.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Sunstar GUM is a major oral care manufacturer with no documented recalls or safety controversies related to dental floss. The brand does not publicly disclose detailed ingredient sourcing or third-party testing for contaminants. No formaldehyde releasers, phthalates, or talc contamination have been reported in GUM floss products; the category itself rarely involves the cosmetic pigments or preservatives that carry such risks.
How it compares in its category
Waxed nylon floss is one of the most stable and chemically inert floss options available. Alternatives such as silk floss, unwaxed nylon, or water flossers each carry different trade-offs in durability and environmental impact, but waxed nylon does not present elevated chemical hazards relative to peers. Expandable nylon (as in this product) slightly increases surface area for plaque removal without introducing new toxicological concerns.
If you buy it
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct heat or sunlight to preserve wax integrity; no special conditions are required. Replace the spool when wax appears worn or filament fraying increases. Floss is single-use and should be discarded after each session; no reuse or prolonged contact scenarios apply. If irritation or bleeding occurs with new floss, switch to gentler techniques rather than different products, as this is rarely a material reaction.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- GUM has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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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.