[EarthLaunch]

> I have yet to find interdental toothbrushes whose use doesn't lead to ingesting nylon.

Isn't that all toothbrushes, or are interdentals unique? (I haven't used them.)

I always assumed that toothbrushes would shed microplastics during brushing.

Also, avoid flossers, as they usually have PFAS. I use a water flosser instead.

[fnordpiglet]

The research that found this didn’t identify PFAs in any dental floss but instead found a correlation in blood levels in the (small number of) participants.

They detected fluorine in the floss and assumed that meant PFAs (Perfluoroalkoxy). This is a really bizarre leap because the floss is made of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), which has fluorine, but is unrelated to PFAs even if you squint, despite both being fluropolymers.

PTFE is safe unless heated to over 300C, which doesn’t happen in your mouth. At one point in history the manufacturing process used PFOA, which is not an awesome chemical, but has not been used since 2013.

However it carries a reputational stigma from that time to this day. It’s otherwise chemically stable and non reactive. It’s also important to note that the study that everyone is basing these conclusions on was in the range of time that PFOA was used to produce PTFE, possibly explaining the PFOA detected in higher amounts.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-018-0109-y

[jozvolskyef]

I mean these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Interdental-Original-0-4-1-5mm-effe... The problem is that when they encounter a sharp edge, they get torn or cut off. I doubt there has been any research on the ingestion of nylon cuttings, which is why I would prefer to find something as effective but known to be safe.

[fnordpiglet]

Yeah sorry I was referring to the dental floss comment I responded to. There’s a lingering belief that PTFE is bad for you, which had more to do with its original production method than the substance itself. Modern PTFE is safe.

[kaliszad]

You could make the bristles from pigs hair or similar as with other kinds of brushes probably. It would just be really expensive and probably isn't worth it. If you can, do use the correct interdental brushes as they are way more effective. You should consult a dental hygienist for proper sizing. Should you come to Prague, you should contact fulldent.cz as far in advance as you can and arrange an appointment.

(Disclaimer, my GF works there however I and my whole family and some friends who attend there have since then the best dental hygiene possible. They also don't mind English at all.)

[jozvolskyef]

It would apply to all to some extent, but when you make the wrong move with an interdental toothbrush it can lose a quarter of its bristles in one session.

[TedDoesntTalk]

There is floss made from silk without any PFAS. One brand is called RADIUS. Floss does a better job than water flossers.