Reach · Dental Floss
Reach Waxed Mint Floss
Lower concern. Waxed floss is unlikely to contain PFAS, but no public disclosure confirms it.
Reach Waxed Mint Floss is a nylon filament coated with conventional wax, a material category with lower PFAS risk than water-resistant or non-stick coatings. However, Reach does not publicly disclose PFAS-free status or ingredient transparency. No third-party testing or certification is available in public sources.
Shop Reach on Amazon →Material
waxed nylon/polyester filament 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
Reach Waxed Mint Floss is a nylon or polyester filament coated with wax (typically paraffin or beeswax blend) and mint flavoring. The wax coating reduces fraying and improves glide between teeth, while nylon is inert in the oral environment and does not leach into saliva under normal use. Mint flavoring is food-grade and present in trace amounts; no heating or degradation occurs during flossing. This is a low-chemical-exposure product by design since it contacts mucous membranes briefly and is not ingested.
The brand's record and disclosure
Reach (owned by Edgewell Personal Care, formerly Church & Dwight subsidiary) does not publicly disclose detailed material composition or third-party safety certifications for floss products. The brand has no documented recalls or safety controversies specific to waxed floss. Reach products are sold in major U.S. retailers and meet FDA standards for dental devices, but the company does not provide independent lab reports or transparency on wax sources or mint extract origin. For a mass-market dental product, disclosure is minimal but typical of the category.
How it compares in its category
Waxed floss like Reach sits in the mainstream market segment and is functionally similar to competitors (Oral-B, Crest, store brands). Unwaxed floss theoretically has fewer chemical coatings but is harder to use and fray-prone. Specialty alternatives (silk floss, water flossers) avoid synthetic polymers but do not reduce oral safety risk; chemical exposure is negligible across all types. Reach Waxed Mint is not positioned as natural or premium, and makes no toxicity-related claims, so expectations align with standard synthetic dental care products.
If you buy it
Use as directed: pull a short length (12-18 inches), guide gently between teeth, and discard after use. The product is not designed to be swallowed; spit out saliva as normal. Floss daily or as recommended by your dentist; no special storage is needed beyond keeping the spool in a dry place. If you have sensitivities to mint flavoring, unwaxed or unflavored alternatives are available. Discontinue and consult a dentist if the floss causes gum bleeding or irritation beyond normal adjustment.
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.”
Mint flavoring agents (allergenicity)
Mint extract and menthol are food-grade and widely used in oral care; no established safety concerns for topical oral contact in trace amounts. Individuals with mint sensitivity or specific allergies to Mentha species should choose unflavored alternatives, but adverse events are not documented for this product.
Wax coating composition (source and purity)
Paraffin or beeswax coatings are standard in floss and inert during use; no public records of contamination or harmful leaching. Reach does not disclose wax source or processing method, so independent verification of purity is not available, but this is consistent with industry norms.
Nylon/polyester filament degradation
Nylon does not degrade or leach during brief oral contact at body temperature. No microplastic release is documented for floss use; filament is mechanically removed as waste, not ingested or swallowed in functional amounts.
Colorants and dyes in filament
Reach Waxed Mint Floss is typically white or light-colored; any dyes used are approved for food contact and present in negligible amounts. No heavy metals or azo dyes are documented in dental floss as a 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.