Eco-Friendly Oral care routine is an essential part of our daily routine to reduce the large amount of plastic waste in the environment. Most of the plastic toothbrush you’ve ever owned is still around, remaining as a piece of trash in a landfill or floating in the ocean, where it can take 500 years or more to decompose.
Not only plastic toothbrushes, but dental floss, tubes of toothpaste, bottles of mouthwash and other disposable items when you take care of your teeth will also end up in landfills and take hundreds of years to decompose.
While conventional oral care products keep our teeth clean, they are harming the environment. Fortunately, those who care about the environment are shifting their oral care habits to more eco-friendly options.
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Here are some changes you can make to have a more eco-friendly oral care routine.
Conserve water when brushing your teeth
You don’t know that one of the bad habits that people often do is to let the faucet in the sink keep running when brushing their teeth, washing their face, or shaving, which wastes a large amount of water. Turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth saves 12 liters of water each time! Think about how much water you can save by doing this when you shave, shower, and wash your face. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it also helps you reduce your monthly water bill.
Replace plastic toothbrushes with eco-friendly ones
Billions of toothbrushes are largely considered non-recyclable because synthetic plastic is hard to break down. Choosing materials more wisely and abandoning plastic in favor of more natural, sustainable, and long-lasting materials will help reduce the burden on the environment.
Bamboo toothbrush
Bamboo is the most popular eco-friendly toothbrush material you can find today to have an eco-friendly oral care routine. However, if the bristles are made of nylon, they need to be removed from the brush for separate disposal. You should choose eco-friendly toothbrushes from brands that are transparent about your supply chain, bamboo is harvested from well-managed and sustainable forests.
Eco-friendly electric toothbrush
In addition to ordinary toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes are being widely used with outstanding cleaning ability. If that’s you, make sure your next selection is designed with the environment in mind. Several brands are offering electric toothbrushes with more powerful cleaning with less impact on the planet. The eco-friendly comes from the durable aluminum brush body and the bio-based brush head (made from plant-based cornstarch with castor oil bristles) that is recyclable. While there is still waste generated, it is significantly less than replacing a new toothbrush every 3 months. Be sure to dispose of any batteries properly for the sake of the environment.
Reuse your toothbrush
Once you’ve replaced your old toothbrush with an eco-friendly version, you can reuse it to clean jewelry, sneakers, computer keyboards, kitchen utensils, and door sills. Make the most of it before it ends up in the landfill.
Toothpaste
Most toothpaste tubes are made of mixed materials so they are not recyclable and as a result, they end up as landfill waste. Some toothpaste contains microplastics. Although they are advertised as deep cleaning, we do not know that they can be harmful to the environment and human health. We need to look at more environmentally friendly solutions to have an eco-friendly oral care routine.
Aluminum toothpaste tube
Aluminum is one of the easiest materials to recycle and can be recycled back into itself to form a true closed loop. The aluminum toothpaste tube is easy to clean by carefully cutting it out and cleaning the inside.
Recyclable plastic toothpaste tube
Toothpaste brands have recently made strides and launched either recyclable plastic tubes or 100% recyclable plastic replacement tubes made from sustainably grown sugarcane husks from renewable forests in Brazil. However, recycling them depends on whether the area you live in accepts them to be recycled or not.
Toothpaste in a glass jar
Plastic-free toothpaste in a glass jar will help you remove plastic from your oral hygiene. More and more innovative brands are introducing new and smart oral care products and natural toothpaste that are sustainably packaged and made with natural and organic ingredients.
Zero-Waste Toothpaste Tablets
You can also give up tubes of toothpaste entirely by switching your toothpaste to chewable tablets that come in recyclable and refillable bottles. The tablets are activated and foam with your saliva and wet toothbrush bristles. They are also suitable for travel, allowing you to carry exactly the amount you need.
Use organic toothpaste
Organic toothpaste is an eco-friendly oral care routine and a healthier alternative to the earth. Organic toothpaste contains natural antibacterial ingredients like mint and peppermint oil that help eliminate bacteria and keep your mouth healthy. Most importantly, organic toothpaste does not contain microplastics that are harmful to the environment.
Dental floss
Flossing products create a significant amount of waste, as they are made of nylon and are not biodegradable. Therefore, people should try to avoid using plastic products, especially single-use products like dental floss.
Dental floss does not contain plastic
An eco-friendly option for you is dental floss which is made of biomaterials such as bamboo, corn, or silk fibers and coated with candelilla wax or beeswax. Many come in small glass jars that allow you to simply purchase a refillable spool without having to throw away the container.
Water floss
Another eco-friendly option is a device that uses high-pressure water to dislodge debris between teeth and below the gum line.
Ingredients and container for mouthwash
Many loyal people use it because of its ability to disinfect and freshen their breath. However, many conventional bottles of mouthwash also contain other chemical additives that not only irritate the gums and soft tissues in the mouth but can also be harmful to the environment. When we spit mouthwash down the drain, the ingredients end up in local waterways. In addition, the regular use of mouthwash bottles also produces a large number of plastic bottles.
Mouthwash tablets
An eco-friendly innovation for oral care, made with natural ingredients and designed to be chewable with a sip of water or dissolved in water. Packaged in recyclable and refillable containers, they are a longer-lasting and zero-waste alternative for the planet.
Refillable mouthwash
To reduce waste, you can purchase alcohol-free mouthwash in a refillable glass bottle.
Make your own mouthwash
Instead of buying new mouthwash in plastic bottles, you can completely reduce waste by making your own mouthwash and storing it in a reusable glass container. You can use salt and peppermint oil to gargle. If it’s not absolutely necessary, you can reduce waste by not rinsing your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. Because rinsing your mouth immediately after brushing will wash away the concentrated benefits in the toothpaste.
Conclusion
Follow these sustainable and eco-friendly oral care routines to improve teeth and gum care while supporting a cleaner planet and a greener future.