Nylon Floss by Butler · Dental Floss
GUM ButlerWeave Woven Shred Resistant Waxed Dental Floss - Mint
Lower concern; standard nylon/wax dental floss with no known PFAS triggers, but brand offers no transparency.
Dental floss is typically lower-risk for PFAS because it's a short-contact oral product without water-resistant or non-stick coatings that commonly trigger fluorochemical treatments.
Shop Nylon Floss by Butler on Amazon →Material
Nylon waxed floss with wax coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
cosmetics is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
GUM ButlerWeave is nylon monofilament coated with wax (likely paraffin or beeswax blend based on category standards) and flavoring. Nylon is a synthetic polymer with no known leaching of monomers into saliva during normal oral use; the wax coating is inert and non-absorbable. The mint flavoring is topical and present in trace amounts. This material chemistry is straightforward and has decades of safe use history in dental care.
The brand's record and disclosure
Butler is a legacy oral care manufacturer (part of Sunstar group) with no public safety recalls specific to this floss product on record. The brand does not provide detailed ingredient or material sourcing transparency on its website or labeling beyond standard product descriptions. No third-party certifications (e.g., ADA Seal, NSF) are visible on this product variant based on available information. Brand stance on PFAS in dental floss is silent, consistent with most traditional floss makers.
How it compares in its category
Waxed nylon floss is the most common type sold globally and represents the baseline for safety expectations in this category. Alternatives include unwaxed nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon-type coating, Teflon-based), and plant-based options; nylon-waxed sits middle-ground on both performance and hazard exposure. No published comparative safety data distinguishes Butler's ButlerWeave from competitor products like Oral-B or Colgate waxed floss. This product lacks meaningful differentiation in safety posture.
If you buy it
Use as directed: gently slide between teeth and along the gumline; do not force, as nylon can fray. Replace the floss spool when strands begin shredding noticeably or after 3-6 months of regular use. Store in a cool, dry place to prevent wax softening. No special precautions are needed; this is a low-contact, non-systemic product. If gums bleed or sensitivity occurs, consult a dentist (not a product safety issue).
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Fragrance allergen (mint flavoring)
Mint flavoring may trigger contact allergies in sensitive individuals, particularly those with menthol sensitivity or existing oral mucosal lesions. Incidence is low but documented in dental product literature; easily reversible by switching products.
Nylon microfiber shedding into oral cavity
No established health hazard from incidental ingestion of small nylon fibers during flossing, despite the product's 'shred-resistant' design implying some shedding risk. Nylon is not bioaccumulative and passes through the GI tract unchanged.
Wax coating additives (minor risk category)
Standard wax coatings in dental floss (paraffin, beeswax, carnauba) have no known toxicity concerns at oral exposure levels. Additives like colorants or preservatives are not specified on this product and likely present in negligible amounts.
Choking hazard in young children
Dental floss is a known choking and aspiration risk for children under age 3; this is a use-context hazard, not a material toxicity issue. Butler packaging does not carry prominent age warnings based on standard product labeling review.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Dental Floss
Cocofloss
Refill Trio
Coconut fiber, based floss with plant-based coating
Lower-concern dental product; natural materials and transparent PFAS stance, but no independent verification.
⚠Risky category by default
Dental Lace
Refillable Silk Dental Floss
Silk floss with compostable refillable packaging
Lower concern; silk floss with credible PFAS-free positioning and third-party certification.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Dental Lace
Plant Based/Vegan Floss Refillable Glass Container PFAS-Free (2 Spools/4-
Plant-based vegan floss (likely plant cellulose or silk fibers)
Lower-concern product with explicit PFAS-free claim; no third-party verification limits certainty.
⚠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.