Oral Care

In honor of National Gum Care Month this September, we’re kicking off our Trash Talk Tuesdays with a look at sustainable oral care!

Everyone can agree that taking good care of your teeth, gums, and mouth is essential—gum disease is tied to not only oral problems but also cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and more. We’ve come a long way since people were using chalk dust and rags to clean their teeth, but many of our modern techniques involve a lot of single-use plastic. So how can we be sustainable without compromising our oral health? Luckily, alternatives to unrecyclable oral care items are popping up more and more.

If boar-bristle brushes aren’t your thing, a popular alternative to plastic bristles is the bamboo brush, which is sustainable and compostable. For toothpaste, less wasteful packaging ideas and recycling programs are finally being explored by major brands, and plastic-free, travel-friendly toothpaste tablets are available from brands such as Bite or Huppy. These tablets have a non-toxic fluoride alternative called nano-hydroxyapatite that can remineralize teeth, as well as antibacterial sugars and nourishing oils (just remember to keep anything with xylitol away from pets, as it is toxic to them).

As we know though, gum health isn’t just achieved with brushing. Flossing is important to break up bacteria colonies and stimulate the gums to prevent bone loss. To help prevent plastic strings of floss going into our oceans and wrapping around the beaks or necks of innocent animals, there are compostable forms of silk floss, as well as great flossing alternatives like the Waterpik and oil pulling. And to keep away any halitosis, many brands are now making mouthwash tabs and metal tongue scrapers that are waste free and easier to travel with too!

With billions of toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes ending up in landfills and our oceans each year, we can’t afford not to find sustainable solutions on a large scale. Small changes today make a big difference when added up, and every little bit helps. The recent demand for these new sustainable options is a sign that change is possible, and that’s worth smiling about!