Trying to ditch plastic floss - silk or corn fiber?

Tried both silk and corn fiber floss, and honestly, neither felt like much of an upgrade over regular stuff - except for my conscience, maybe. Silk floss especially was a disaster for me. I’ve got pretty tight teeth, and that stuff just shredded into a fuzzy mess after the second molar. Ended up with more string stuck between my teeth than plaque, which is not exactly the goal.

Corn fiber was a bit better but still didn’t glide like the classic plastic stuff. I get wanting to cut down on plastic waste (the number of little floss boxes I’ve tossed... yikes), but if it means I’m skipping days because I dread the process, it kind of defeats the purpose. I’d rather use regular floss consistently than half-heartedly hack at my teeth with eco-floss once a week.

Maybe there’s a unicorn brand out there that actually works, but I haven’t found it yet. At this point, I’m just picking my battles - if it means less guilt but more visits to the dentist, not sure it’s worth it.

Honestly, you nailed it - shredded silk floss is basically dental confetti. I tried one that claimed to be “extra strong” and still ended up picking out bits for days. At this point, I’d rather use what works and just recycle the boxes when I can. Guilt’s one thing, but dental bills are a whole other beast.

Guilt’s one thing, but dental bills are a whole other beast.

I hear you - my last “eco” floss attempt ended with me using tweezers as a secondary flossing tool. The silk stuff just disintegrated like it was designed to self-destruct. I’m curious if anyone’s had better luck with the corn fiber options? I read somewhere that some brands coat them with microcrystalline waxes, but I’m not sure how that holds up compared to the classic nylon.

Yeah, the silk floss basically fell apart in my hands too - felt like I was just moving fuzzy string around. I tried corn fiber once but it shredded between my kid’s teeth, which are pretty tight. Anyone actually had one hold up through a whole mouth?

Funny timing - I’ve been down this exact rabbit hole lately. Silk floss totally disintegrated for me too, and my teeth aren’t even that tight. The corn fiber ones seemed promising but yeah, they basically turned to mush halfway through. The only plant-based option that’s lasted a whole mouth for me is bamboo charcoal floss. It’s not as “natural fiber” as silk or corn, but it’s still compostable and it actually holds up better. I do notice it frays a bit after a few tight contacts, but nowhere near as bad as the others.

For my kid, the only thing that’s worked is the vegan nylon (not totally plastic-free, I know) but at least it’s not petroleum-based. It’s a compromise, but I figure it’s better than going back to traditional floss. If anybody ever finds a true plant fiber that doesn’t shred instantly, I’d love to hear about it... until then, I’m just rotating between “eco-friendly” options and hoping someone invents something tougher.