Cocofloss Is a Delicious Way to Clean Teeth and Toss (A Little) Less Plastic

I didn’t always like flossing. I come from a long line of densely toothed people—generations of unwitting spinach smilers—which means that with any string floss, I need to wedge it between my teeth before gliding it back and forth. With some thin and waxed flosses, wedging sends the thread painfully into my gums, like a deli’s wire cheese slicer. Seeking gentler floss, I dabbled in high-pile, fuzzy flosses, but I hated them; their sticky girth snagged between my teeth, leaving behind fuzz that I had to fish out with yet more floss.

By comparison, Cocofloss is a delight. For my teeth, it has a Goldilocks thickness—plush but not fuzzy. This is the gentlest, smoothest floss of any that I’ve tried: It never slices me and rarely snags, which I attribute to an infusion of coconut oil and imperceptible coating of vegan wax. Because of its soft texture, it scrubs my teeth and dislodges stubborn greens with ease, so I floss almost on autopilot.

I usually opt for refills in Delicious Mint, which reminds me of Orbit Sweet Mint chewing gum. But if you’re more adventurous, this floss comes in Pure Strawberry, Fresh Coconut, Cara Cara Orange, and Confetti Cake, too. Cocofloss also offers seasonal and limited edition flavors.

The floss itself is great, but what really makes me love Cocofloss is its lightweight-yet-sturdy dispenser, which is easy to hold and has worked for me without fail since 2021.

Crucially, refillable products are only better for the environment if you actually reuse them—and the more you use them, the smaller their impact. I’ve tried refillable glass dispensers with fiddly metal lids, jagged unspooling, and dull cutting blades, which create frayed floss. Those annoyances nearly put me off my flossing routine.

With Cocofloss, I never want to ditch flossing. The mark of good design is that you barely notice it. In this case, the dispenser is durable, ergonomic, and non-slippy. And it’s easy to grip—even in the hours just before sleep—thanks to a thumb divot on the side of the case and the size itself (it’s a little flatter and wider than an Apple AirPods case). The transparent frosted plastic is attractive, and it’s functional—you can see how much floss is left and queue up refills. The hinged lid keeps the floss end clean, protecting it from tumbles into the sink or crumbs in your carry-on, and the case can stand upright.

Refilling the dispenser is surprisingly satisfying, too. First you unhinge the top, intuitively place two fingers in divots in the molded plastic, gently squeeze to pry open the case, and remove the spent spool. Then you pop in a new spool, thread the loose end through the groove, and snap the top shut again. If you find there’s too much friction when you dispense your floss, you may have put the spool in backwards—I do this about half the time. You simply have to reopen the case and flip the spool (I’m sometimes kind of glad to get to do it again).

My beloved Cocofloss dispenser will not live forever. The print on the plastic has started to rub away, but there are no major signs of wear. With time, the lid hinge might start to break off, or the spool bobbin might turn with more friction, but I haven’t experienced any of that yet. (A Cocofloss spokesperson said the dispensers typically last six months to a year with daily use, so my two-year-old case seems especially long-lived. She added that the company is developing a more-durable case that should reliably last years.)

When it’s finally time for me to retire this case, I can also avoid “wishcycling” it (the term used for tossing something into the municipal bin that won’t actually get recycled). Many recycling systems don’t accept this type of #5 plastic, but Cocofloss partners with Pact Collective, a take-back program; you can mail in empties or drop them off at participating retailers.

Part of Cocofloss’s appeal is that there are so many fun flavors to try, including a rotating selection of seasonal and limited editions, such as Apple Cinnamon, Dark Chocolate, and Sweet Pineapple. But currently, refill spools come in just four core flavors: my go-to Delicious Mint, plus Fresh Coconut, Pure Strawberry, and Cara Cara Orange. If you’re coveting, say, Summer Watermelon or Passion Fruit, you’ll have to buy a new dispenser and then move to one of the core flavors.

If you’re used to a thinner floss, this one’s thickness could take some getting used to, and it may not be for you—I’ve shared this floss with a couple of string-floss-averse people who don’t love it. For my part, I still have to be careful not to speed through my molars, otherwise the spun filaments can catch. But I have had this issue with every floss I’ve ever tried. You can determine whether you like Cocofloss (and which flavor to buy) by starting with this sampler pack (currently $15).

Compared with the price of some other string flosses, which can cost as little as a dollar, $10 for a dispenser and a two- to three-month supply of floss can seem like a lot. Meanwhile, refill spools currently cost $24 for three—or $8 per spool; each spool is 33 yards, which is less than a typical Reach waxed floss’s 55 yards. Annoyingly, Cocofloss offers free shipping only if you spend $25, so if you want to save $6.95, you’ll have to stock up on refills and spend nearly $50 on floss in one go. (On the plus side, you’ll reduce shipments.)

Personally speaking, since this is something I use every day to take care of my body, I can swallow the price. Life can be annoying enough without having to deal with gum irritation, fuzzy debris, and fiddly caps that might fall down the drain. Even for a floss freak like me, a daily interdental cleaning routine can sometimes call for all of your willpower—especially at the end of a long day or the start of a daunting one. For a routine I can stick to with more ease and, dare I say, pleasure, $8 over three months feels worth it.

This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Catherine Kast.