You probably already know that it’s important to keep up with daily brushing & flossing to keep your teeth & gums healthy & maintain your oral health. But you may be wondering how to keep up with these habits while lowering your impact on the environment.
Fortunately, it’s easy to maintain your oral health in an eco-friendly way!
Biodegradable Toothbrushes
Most toothbrushes have plastic handles & nylon bristles. These materials are effective & not too expensive, so they’re great for helping everyone easily maintain their oral health.
But if you’re looking to lower your impact on the environment by reducing or eliminating your use of plastic, there are still plenty of eco-friendly alternatives you can use to keep up with your brushing! Most eco-friendly toothbrushes have wooden handles, usually bamboo, because it is more antimicrobial than other alternative materials. These days, you can easily find toothbrushes with bamboo handles online & at many stores.
Eco-friendly bristles can be tougher to find. Boar or pig hair bristles are more common in Europe than in the United States, but for now there aren’t any bristle options available that are both biodegradable & vegetarian. If you decide to compost a bamboo handle, be sure to remove the bristles first!
Eco-Friendly Floss
Traditional dental floss is made with nylon, but fortunately there are lots of eco-friendly options made with silk or bamboo fiber available. Many companies that sell these flosses also provide reusable containers & send refills in biodegradable packaging, so you can avoid using a new plastic container each time you run out.
Zero-Waste Mouthwash
You can purchase mouthwash tablets that come in reusable packaging. These tablets are easy to use & perfect for traveling—just dissolve one tablet in room temperature water & you’re ready to go!
Environmentally-Friendly Toothpaste
When it comes to toothpaste, there are plenty of eco-friendly options available. Like mouthwash, you can also find toothpaste tablets to reduce packaging waste. Just chew on the tablet a few times, add water to your toothbrush & start brushing! You can also buy toothpaste powder that only needs a small amount of water to turn into a paste.
If you don’t feel like mixing your toothpaste every day, there are a variety of toothpastes that come in reusable packaging, like glass jars, & recyclable packaging, like aluminum tubes. Some companies even use biodegradable materials, like sugarcane, to create compostable toothpaste tubes!
If you’re thinking about making the switch to a more eco-friendly dental health routine, talk to your dentist about finding the best option for you!