PresiDent · Dental Floss
Johnson & Johnson Listerine Ultraclean Mint Floss
Lower concern, dental floss is not a known PFAS vector, but the brand makes no transparency claims.
Dental floss, including nylon monofilament, is not a typical PFAS-risk product category because it doesn't require water-repellent coatings, nonstick surfaces, or grease resistance. Johnson & Johnson and PresiDent make no public PFAS disclosures for this product, but absence of these functional needs suggests lower inherent risk.
Shop PresiDent on Amazon →Material
Nylon monofilament floss (typical for dental floss)
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
Listerine Ultraclean Mint Floss is nylon monofilament, a synthetic polymer chosen for strength, flex, and resistance to fraying during use. Nylon does not release significant leachates into the oral cavity during normal flossing because contact time is brief, surface area is minimal, and saliva is not a strong solvent for nylon polymers. The mint flavoring is applied as a surface coating or infusion; mint is a food-grade flavoring and poses no known toxicity at the trace levels used in floss. No published literature documents nylon monofilament floss as a source of harmful chemical migration into oral tissues.
The brand's record and disclosure
PresiDent (the actual marketer of this product under the Listerine umbrella) does not publish ingredient sourcing, manufacturing transparency, or PFAS mitigation policies specific to floss. This silence is common across the dental floss industry and does not indicate a safety failure; it reflects the category's historically low regulatory and consumer scrutiny. Johnson & Johnson (parent company) has faced litigation over talc in cosmetics and some personal-care products, but dental floss is not implicated in those cases. PresiDent has no documented recalls or safety controversies tied to this floss product.
How it compares in its category
Nylon monofilament floss is the industry standard and represents the majority of floss by market share. It is functionally equivalent to other nylon floss brands (Oral-B, Glide, store generics) in terms of material risk. Waxed varieties (this product appears to use wax coating) are marginally less likely to fray but carry the same chemical hazard profile as unwaxed nylon. Some consumers prefer alternatives such as silk floss (biodegradable, but no safety advantage) or water flossers (no material ingestion, but different performance); nylon monofilament remains the lowest-cost and most durable choice.
If you buy it
Use normally; nylon floss is designed for daily use and poses no dose-related risk from swallowing small fragments. Do not heat or expose to high temperatures, as nylon can soften above 80 degrees Celsius, though this is not a realistic scenario for floss in the mouth. Replace the container if the floss becomes visibly degraded or if wax coating is visibly worn away. Store in a cool, dry place to prevent mold growth on the canister, which is a hygiene concern rather than a chemical one.
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.”
Nylon monofilament leaching
Nylon does not leach plasticizers, BPA, or oligomers into saliva under normal oral use conditions; peer-reviewed toxicology of nylon dental floss shows no reported harm.
Wax coating composition
Wax coatings on dental floss typically use food-grade paraffin or beeswax; these are inert at mouth temperature, but PresiDent does not disclose the specific wax type or any additives, so unknown wax components cannot be ruled out, though risk remains theoretical.
Mint flavoring allergenicity
Mint flavoring in floss is food-grade and does not produce documented allergic or sensitization reactions in the general population; only individuals with peppermint allergy (rare) would face concern.
Microplastic fragmentation
Nylon monofilament can theoretically fragment into microfibers if teeth or braces are sharp; the amount swallowed during normal flossing is negligible, and nylon is not bioaccumulative, but repeated daily exposure means long-term GI transit data are sparse.
Dye or colorant safety
Listerine Ultraclean Mint Floss is typically clear or pale yellow; if dyes are used, they would be minimal and food-grade approved, with no documented safety issue for this product or brand in this category.
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.