Environmental sustainability is at the forefront of many people's minds these days. As a result, there has been an increased interest in environmentally friendly products that can help cut down on waste without adding additional hassle to our lives. The dental industry offers one such option with refillable floss containers.
Unfortunately, while tempting, the amount of waste that refillable floss cuts down on is minimal, and given the cost, it'd be better to pay for regular floss and use the savings to fund carbon sinking and plastic clean up projects instead!
Refillable Floss Doesn't Solve the Biggest Environmental Issue
The problem with refillable floss is that it only reduces the plastic waste from the container that holds the floss. This still leaves the string floss as a byproduct, one that can't be recycled and still ends up in landfills. And string doesn’t always make it to the landfill! Being so small, string is easily carried by the wind; becoming litter that can end up harming marine life and contributing to microplastics in the ocean.
Compounding the issue, most floss is made out of nylon, a material with poor recyclability. This means that the floss is still adding to our current plastic pollution problem. A recent study found that plastics make up the majority of marine litter, with a large amount of this being from nylon string.
The effects of plastic pollution on sea life are still not completely understood, but we do know that nearly 800 species worldwide are affected by it, including fish, birds, sea turtles and marine mammals.
Nylons are estimated to take hundreds of years to decompose, and even then they often end up just breaking down into smaller pieces that find their way into the mouths and thus stomachs of marine life. A problem that could be linked to increased risk of death for those animals.
The Dental Industry Has Better Alternatives
The other issue with refillable floss is that it doesn't bring much innovation to the world of oral care. In fact, string floss is estimated to have been used as far back as the Neolithic era (horse hairs being used at the time). With technology we've been able to advance and improve upon flossing, creating new, more effective methods
Water flossing, and now as an extension of that, Instafloss, is able to deliver a more effective floss, helping you to avoid gum diseases and costly dental visits. Unlike string floss, which can only clean the spaces between your teeth, water flossing cleans between your teeth and around the base where they meet the gums.
The water is also able to clean deeper beneath the gums without causing damage, something that traditional flossing just can't compete with.
Instafloss is the Best Option for Eco-Friendly Flossing
Here at Instafloss, our team's mission is to improve health and happiness through innovation in oral care. We see that manifesting itself in two ways:
- Helping people floss effectively and consistently so that they may live happier, healthier lives.
- Being good stewards of the environment, communities, and resources around us
It's for this reason that we set out to create the world's best floss, one that's both faster and more convenient than any alternative and is more environmentally friendly.
Water flossing doesn't have the same issue of leaving nylon string as a by-product. Meaning the product at its core is less wasteful. Even then, we're not satisfied, which is why we’re committing to carbon offsetting and plastic recovery after we complete the initial production run and delivery of Instafloss. (Allowing us to focus our time and effort now on manufacturing, delivery, and initial support for our first customers).
Budget and Eco Friendly Alternatives to Refillable Floss
There is some string floss that can be environmentally friendly, in particular those which are made from natural materials like silk and beeswax and are also housed in refillable containers. If you’re on a budget and can’t afford the Instafloss, but still want to be environmentally conscious with your dental habits, these can be a good option.
However, you’re still missing out on the convenience and effectiveness of Instafloss. Instafloss takes just 10 seconds to give your entire mouth a perfect floss, while alternatives can take upwards of 2 minutes and even then be less effective.
Tying it All Together
Get it? Tying, because it’s string floss? I’ll... I’ll see myself out.
In all seriousness, refillable floss is a good idea, but not one which goes far enough to truly tackle the issues with the environmental impact of floss. It’s marginally better than the alternatives, and when you look at the cost you’re paying ($15-$20 vs $1-2) it’s simply not worth it.
Instafloss on the other hand is not only the most environmentally friendly option, it’s the most convenient and effective way to floss as well! Order your Instafloss today and find out what it’s like to finally want to floss.