Developments in eco-friendly toothbrushes have made sustainable brushes cheaper, and better than ever before.

Toothbrushes are certainly a necessity. It would be difficult to imagine us going back hundreds of years in dental health if everyone suddenly stopped using one. However, they pose a few problems. One is that they are primarily made of plastic, which is not often recyclable. Even when it is, most people still don’t recycle it, because they often don’t know they can. This means, that every few months, each person throws their toothbrush away. Multiply that number by how many people in the US there are, and you have a big problem. With over 332 million people, replacing toothbrushes every 3 months or so, that’s almost 4 billion toothbrushes a year! If you are like most people, you probably don’t want your toothbrush to wind up floating in the ocean. So what can we do about it? The answer is sustainable brushes. There are various kinds, made from various materials. We will list some of the best, so you can make your brushing a part of a more sustainable world.

Be.Brush

A zero-waste electric toothbrush? Not quite, but mechanical nonetheless. The Be.Brush gives you that electric toothbrush deep clean while being sustainable. Rather than using a tiny electric motor, like most toothbrushes, the Be.Brush uses an internal spring. Twisting the base of the toothbrush winds up the spring, which then causes the head to vibrate just as an electric one does.

The heads are replaceable, and the body is fully-recyclable. Finally, the packaging also comes in cardboard, leaving zero plastic waste. There may not be a fully zero-waste electric toothbrush, but this is the closest you can get.

Brush with Bamboo

Brush with Bamboo is a zero-waste toothbrush made from, you guessed it, bamboo. The handle and head is made from bamboo wood. The bristles aren’t plastic either though, they are made from castor bean oil. On top of that, the packaging is entirely made of paper, so there is no plastic waste on the consumer’s part at all with this product.

Hello BPA Free Charcoal Bristle Toothbrush

This brush is made with a combination of activated charcoal and bamboo. The charcoal helps give your teeth a spotless clean. The bamboo is made from sustainably-harvested shoots. What’s not to love? Check it out, and other activated charcoal products like it, here.

Life Without Plastic Dental Hygiene Kit

This is a kit for the whole family. Included in the box are 2 children’s toothbrushes, 4 bamboo adult toothbrushes, a refillable floss/toothpaste jar, and 3 spools of natural dental floss. The adult brushes are made with a bamboo body and boar bristles. The children’s brushes are made with beechwood and pig hair bristles. Shipped in 100% recyclable packaging, this kit will solve your family’s sustainable brushing needs.

SWAK Toothbrush

Changing it up from wooden handles, this brush uses a bio-plastic handle. The head is replaceable, and made of miswak wood. The head is completely biodegradable, while the handle is made from non-GMO sugars. This durable brush is also easy on the gums. Check it out here.

Preserve Toothbrush

For the recyclers out there is the Preserve Toothbrush. This brush, made from recycled yogurt cups, comes with a plan. The Preserve company actually has a recycling program, the Gimme 5 Toothbrush Take Back program. You can mail your brush back to them, or drop them in a Gimme 5 bin at a Whole Foods, and contribute to the circular economy.

What’s the best way to go?

If you are curious about sustainable brushes but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, bamboo is for you. Bamboo is naturally bacteria-resistant and fully compostable. They are also cheap, and there are many on the market now. Have a look on Ebay, Amazon, or here. Give it a try, you just might find the toothbrush you’ve been looking for all this time.

Don’t forget to take care of your teeth

If you are reading this article, dental health is probably important to you. At Josey Lane Dentistry, your dental health is our top concern. Based out of Carrollton Texas, Josey Lane is a family dental practice, serving the area for over 17 years now. Let us know how we can help you achieve the best oral health possible.