Sterilized Floss - Sean Dix story

[seek10]

Yesterday, I was looking for news, this story came up. I am some what puzzled by what I thought minor issue.

As the story goes this guy called sean dix invented sterilized floss in 1993 and later in 1995 he realized that he is the only guy who is proposing sterilized floss and J&J who dominates the floss market tried to negotiate with him for using his patent , but drops the ball saying they have different priorities . so this guy wants to go for mass production just before major events in his aim, CNN comes into picture and interviews him, skews the information and literally debunks him and literally bankrupts him. You can see some sean dix's youtube video's defending himself from the MSM media attacks, latest seems to be from new york post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7hZzYC7_tU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GIBS-67MmU

I was thinking what are they adding to the floss?. My original thought is it is some cotton thread ( some plastic thread that leaks nylon etc. ) and bee wax or some thing like that. Due to the extent MSM went against this guy, I wondered floss may have flouride or mercury etc. Simple google search tells a different content but similar story.

_http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=18773

Does dental floss contain gluten?

I would have never even thought about dental floss containing gluten but Alyssa was flossing her teeth and made the comment she loved to floss her teeth because it had a fruity taste.The gluten alarm went off in my head. Everything else seems to contain gluten so I don't know why I would think floss wouldn't . Does anyone know??
Angie

It's bad when your child wants to floss their teeth just to suck the sweet flavor out of the floss. Thanks celiac, thanks diabetes
Angie
--

I just checked my Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide from Cecelia's Marketplace. Glide is listed as safe. Safeway Select Mint and a couple from Tom's of Maine are also on the safe list. Check with the manufacturer of her favorite brand and see.
We went to the dentist the other day, and my dd came home complaining of a stomach ache. I had mentioned her recent dx to the hygienist, but I didn't even think to question the ingredients of the paste they use to brush and the fluoride treatment.
SHe loves the Oral B princess toothpaste also, but that brand is not on the safe list anywhere. Guess I need to make a phone call.
ARGGG!!!! GLUTEN IS EVERYWHERE!!!

Carol
---
Thanks. You don't think about the little things that could have gluten in them. We were using Colgate and when I called them they said they didn't add gluten to their products but, would not guarantee it wasn't in there. We switched to be safe.
Angie

It looks we can't trust any thing we put in mouth or on skin these days :(

 

[ocean59]

A quick search turned up some very interesting information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_floss

Dental floss is made of either a bundle of thin nylon filaments or a plastic (Teflon or polyethylene) or a silk ribbon

Teflon?! Yikes.

_http://www.greenyour.com/body/personal-care/toothbrush/tips/use-natural-dental-floss

Alternative flosses are made of silk. Silk is a natural fiber with minimal manufacturing-related eco-impacts (think resource intensiveness, pollution, and waste), but is frowned upon by many pro-animal rights environmentalists.

Despite the lack of a clear eco-friendly alternative for the basic component of dental floss, you can still make your dental floss purchases more eco-friendly by looking for the following:

- Avoid polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE): Some floss (most popularly Crest Glide) is coated with PTFE, an ingredient that also provides the coating in non-stick cookware. Concern over this substance, called Teflon in everyday use, surrounds a chemical used in its manufacture, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The US Environmental Protection Agency discovered that PFOA is persistent in the environment and in the blood of the general US population. While the EPA does not currently recommend that consumers stop using products made with PFOA, it has called on companies to reduce facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related chemicals by 95 percent by 2010, and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content by 2015.[2]

- Look for unwaxed or natural wax coatings: Conventional waxed floss is generally coated with petroleum-derived, synthetic wax. Natural floss manufacturers eschew synthetic ingredients in favor of natural (plant-based or beeswax) coatings and flavorings.

- Choose dental floss with minimal and recyclable packaging: Many dental floss containers are made from plastic (there's that pesky petroleum component again). Some manufacturers have limited the amount of plastic needed in their packaging by using cardboard cases or skipping the blister wrap. When considering packaging options, less is more, and always recycle, no matter what type of packaging you choose.

- Go cruelty-free: If you're concerned about animal byproducts and animal treatment, you'll want to avoid silk floss and floss coated with beeswax, and choose products that do not employ animal testing. Two organizations supply third-party verification of a company's cruelty-free and vegan product claims. By looking for products with the Leaping Bunny Logo or the Certified Vegan Logo, you can rest assured that your dental floss does not contain animal-derived ingredients and its components were never tested on animals.

There are some example products for sale at the bottom of that page, to give an idea of what's out there.

Another possible concern: Apparently some floss products now also contain the antibacterial (and immuno/respiratory-toxic) indredient Chlorhexidine _http://www.goodguide.com/products/187633-butler-g-u-m

Thanks for bringing up the topic, seek10.

 

[Rick3]

In the past I used fine sticks (toothpick-like) from the lavender and rosemary bush in my garden and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. But that was in desperation because I'd run out of floss. Maybe I'll return to that method of cleaning my teeth post a meaty meal.