Abstract: Dental floss products are provided which include a unitary tape of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 5 dl/g, as measured in decalin at 135° C., the tape having a thickness of about 0.02-0.1 mm and a width of about 0.25-6 mm, and a tensile strength of at least 1.8 GPa. The dental floss products have very high mechanical, especially tensile strength, and show high resistance to tearing and has a low coefficient of friction. The tape can be inserted between teeth tightly together without breaking. A further advantage of the dental tape products is that most of the initial strength during flossing is retained, even if the tape separates into filaments. Processes for making a unitary tape suitable for use in a dental floss product are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dental floss product comprising a unitary tape of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 5 dl/g, as measured in decalin at 135?C, the tape having a thickness of about 0.02-0.1 mm and a width of about 0.25-6 mm, and a tensile strength of at least 1.8 GPa. The dental floss product has very high mechanical, especially tensile strength, shows high resistance to tearing and has a low coefficient of friction. The tape can be inserted between teeth tightly together without breaking. A further advantage of the dental tape is that it retains most of its initial strength during flossing, even if the tape separates into filaments. The invention further relates to a process of making a unitary tape suitable for use in a dental floss product.