With the emergence of all the ecological problems in the last decades resulting from overconsumption and pollution, the impact of our daily choices on the environment has become an increasing concern. Therefore, this is one of the major reasons why eco-friendly oral care is gaining popularity, focusing on products that minimize their ecological footprint while offering sustainable benefits.
Traditional oral health care products can have a significantly negative impact on the environment, whether through excessive packaging adding to the plastic waste issue, or harmful ingredients in their composition that, when washed down the drain, contribute to water and soil pollution. In this article, we will explore how adopting eco-friendly oral care practices can benefit both our health and the planet.
Rethinking Your Routine: Sustainable Swaps
As environmental concerns become increasingly pressing, let’s take a closer look at how our choices in oral care products can significantly impact the environment.
- Toothbrushes:
- Since the first plastic toothbrush was made in the 1930s, the production, use, and disposal of plastic toothbrushes has steadily grown, resulting in a significant environmental impact, contributing extensively to plastic and chemical waste.
- In fact, a plastic toothbrush takes 500 or more to decompose, so if you follow the American Dental Association (ADA) recommendation and change your toothbrush every 3 months, you will have used around 200 toothbrushes by 50 years old, and that’s for just one person!
- Additionally, many plastic toothbrushes contain chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) that leach into the environment, especially in water sources, and these are known to cause a range of health problems.
- To mitigate this impact, eco-friendly alternatives such as biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes, toothbrushes made of recyclable plastic, and replaceable-head brushes are good options.
- Toothpaste:
- Conventional kinds of toothpaste can contain harmful chemicals that can be the cause of environmental issues, such as:
- Triclosan is suspected to cause cancer, endocrine disorders, and behavioral problems in young children. We would therefore advise you to check the composition of your toothpaste before buying it and to make sure it is triclosan-free.
- Another harmful chemical that can be found in some toothpastes is titanium dioxide, its role being to give the paste its white opaque texture. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies this chemical as a potential carcinogen.
- Plastic microbeads that can be also found in some shower gels, can be are very small plastic particles that are found in some toothpastes, and they are not only harmful to health directly but also to the environment when leached in water and soil.
- For a greener and safer alternative, consider using natural or organic toothpastes that exclude the above harmful chemicals (among others like sulfates, and fluorine) and can be made from baking soda, clay, calcium carbonate, glycerin, white clay, and essential oils, but also olive leaves, green clay, cloves. These toothpastes usually come in minimal, recyclable packaging, with no aluminum layer, and 100% recyclable, so not only do they reduce your environmental footprint but can also promote better oral and general health.
- Conventional kinds of toothpaste can contain harmful chemicals that can be the cause of environmental issues, such as:
- Floss:
- Non-biodegradable dental floss also poses a significant environmental concern. While each individual piece of plastic dental floss may appear insignificant, collectively, the American population consumes about 3 million miles of it every year. If every American followed the American Dental Association’s recommendation to floss daily with traditional floss, the amount of plastic waste generated would be sufficient to cover a football field six stories high.
- For an eco-friendly option, we advise that you go for natural silk floss instead or plant-based alternatives like corn or bamboo floss. These alternatives offer similar effectiveness while reducing environmental impact.
- Mouthwash:
- Just like the other oral health products mentioned above, disposable mouthwash containers contribute to environmental challenges as they generate single-use plastic waste. To promote sustainability, opting for refillable mouthwash options can significantly reduce waste production.
- Additionally, natural mouthwashes contain natural ingredients like organic peppermint and aloe vera, organic xylitol, and essential oils. You can also find bio mouthwashes with eco-friendly packaging, like gable top carton that is made from sustainably sourced paperboard and lined with a bio-based plastic derived from tall oil, a byproduct of pulp and paper manufacturing. These packaging options are preferable to minimize your environmental impact while maintaining good oral hygiene.
Beyond The Dental Products: 3 Simple Sustainable Habits + Bonus Tips You Can Do
In addition to using eco-friendly products, integrating sustainable habits into our daily lives is another way to minimize our ecological footprint. Let’s delve into some of these sustainable practices within our oral care routines for a positive environmental impact.
#1. Learn efficient brushing techniques for healthy teeth
A conscientious brushing method can help minimize water and product consumption.
- If you completely cover your toothbrush bristles with toothpaste from end to end, you’re not alone. However, the recommendation is to use a pea-sized amount each time you brush. Also, close the tap while brushing to save water, and brush gently to extend the lifespan of your toothbrush, reducing the frequency of replacements and, thereby, your plastic waste production.
- This approach not only minimizes the environmental impact of excessive water and toothpaste use but also decreases the need for frequent toothbrush replacements. In fact, the average person uses about 0.9 grams of toothpaste per brushing, while the recommendation is around 0.25 grams, so using the right amount would cut down by more than three the amount you spend on toothpaste.
#2. Sustainable oral care products disposal methods
- A study conducted in 2021 reported that 1.5 billion toothpaste tubes are discarded every year globally, and a very big part of these wind up in landfills or, worse, the ocean. So considering the growing awareness of oral hygiene and oral care products, which has led to a significant increase in their sales, disposal of oral health products waste, namely toothpaste tubes, mouthwash bottles, plastic dental floss containers, and others, should be done properly.
- Nevertheless, since many toothpaste tubes contain both plastic and aluminum, they pose challenges when it comes to where they should be disposed of in the recycling bins, and we, therefore, advise you to check your local recycling policies for these. In the United States, only a few recycling plants recycle toothpaste tubes containing both plastic and aluminum, which makes the matter quite challenging on the whole country’s scale.
#3. Always consider mouthwash and toothpaste refillable options
- It is estimated that 200 Million Americans have been using mouthwash since 2020, and the global market for mouthwash is estimated to grow by $16B between 2022 to 2032. With the growing demand for sustainable packaging worldwide, more brands will go eco-friendly, and more “green” options for consumers like you will become available to choose from.
- Refillable mouthwash and toothpaste dispensers can significantly reduce plastic waste, and they not only have benefits in terms of minimizing waste production but also in terms of convenience, hygiene, and sustainability when smart dispensers are purchased. By bulk purchasing and refilling dispensers, you will be an eco-conscious consumer and minimize single-use packaging.
#4. Bonus Tips:
Look For Environmentally Friendly Oral Care Products
When choosing oral health products, you should consider specific criteria. First, to prioritize certifications and ingredients that support sustainability and environmental responsibility, look for the labels of reputable organizations like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Rainforest Alliance on the packaging.
The first label means the product comes from “responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits”. |
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| The second means “the product contains one or more key ingredients produced with social, economic, and environmental sustainability”. |  |
Keep up with your regular teeth cleaning sessions.
Another good way to make a positive impact would be following your regular teeth cleaning schedule. Why? Because you would then need less oral car products when you avoid gum inflammation from plaque accumulation by getting an effective teeth cleaning treatment when you should, which is theoretically and for most people, twice a year. By keeping your teeth in check, you will therefore be contributing to sustainability.
Conclusion,
Care to go the extra mile too? You can join global initiatives like Forest Nation’s by purchasing items from our website and start taking action in exchange of which they will plant trees in areas hit hard by deforestation and industrial agriculture.
Every small step counts in our collective effort to preserve the planet. Share with us your favorite eco-friendly oral care products or habits while continuing to explore creative ways to make a positive long-term impact!
