Plastic sucks, plastic is bad, plastic doesn’t biodegrade, plastic kills animals, plastic is in our food…

We all get it. It’s probably not beneficial to keep hearing all of those facts in that manner, either, because the more we hear the negatives, the more we tend to tune out and focus our attention elsewhere for the sake of our sanity. But NO! There’s a different way, ya’ll. Let’s dive into some positive living! I can’t be the only one sick of hearing all this blibber blabber of negativity.

I saw a really amazing Green Dreamer post on Instagram the other day about the importance of not thinking about “fixing” the shit we’re doing to the planet - instead, how about we radiate some positivity into the future, produce more good things, and take positive action? It may sound like one and the same, and the actions may indeed be identical, but it’s all about the mindset behind the motion.

Choose positivity and take proactive steps

Wouldn’t you rather choose positivity? It sure as hell ain’t easy to do that with the news on, or your inbox exploding with the boo hoo and the bad. So what about using that powerful, beautiful mind of yours to retune your mental antennas and morph the messages you’re receiving into something a little more colorful? Yes, read the facts. Read the science. Accept it. Then turn that into positive change.

If you’re at a loss for how to do that, dude or dudette, don’t fret! That’s what I’m here for. I’m stumbling through this imperfect eco-journey with you. Today, I wanted to focus on an issue that is relevant for most of us, at least twice a day. Oral hygiene, baby!

When did people start caring about their teeth?

Let’s start with a mini bit of history. Just a century ago, oral hygiene was not on most people’s radar. Teeth were in a state of disarray. It’s a beautiful advancement in technology, in my humble opinion, to have the oral care options that we have today (and dentists, thanks for your work!) but unfortunately the industry relies heavily on plastic. How did we get here? And where can we go so that we can continue to have those glittering smiles without the heavy environmental negatives?

Reducing plastic in our toothbrushes

We’ve heard of the horrors of plastic toothbrushes ending up in places they don’t belong. The ocean. Beaches. Nat Geo says in this article that nearly a billion toothbrushes will be thrown away in the U.S. this year, and yes, most of them are plastic. Plastic polymers have been infiltrating toothbrush designs since the 1930’s, and as we now understand, plastic doesn’t biodegrade. That means that nearly every toothbrush that’s been chucked since 1930 is still out there in the world, hanging out, and they’re definitely not cleaning anyone’s teeth anymore. Old designs, and I’m talking like 3000 B.C. old, were basically twigs that Babylonians chewed to clean their teeth. In the 8th century, cattlebone and horsehair were the main building materials, but it was considered a luxury item because of the cost. Most people simply didn’t own toothbrushes.

And then plastic entered the show, the cheap, indestructible alternative that would allow good oral hygiene to become more attainable for the everyday human. And there’s the environmental issue. The popularity grew, which is great for oral hygiene and that cute guy down the street with the sparkling smile, but not great for our planet. Now, decades later, and armed with the reality of plastic pollution, it’s sad that we don’t really have a perfect plastic-free solution. BUT there are some way better alternatives, and some eco-engineer-wizard type people that are coming up with some really innovative solutions.

Bamboo toothbrushes have become quite popular in the eco-friendly world. Most are not entirely plastic-free, however, as the bristles could be made of nylon. Do your research. The only fully degradable brush heads are made of boar’s hair, and that’s not exactly vegan. Still, a very good option.
Radius is a toothbrush brand that carefully designs their brushes to last much longer than your average Joe or Jane toothbrush, thereby reducing waste. Most people can make 2 toothbrushes last the year, instead of the typical 4. It’s still waste, but nice that it’s cut in half.
Goodwell is a really cool concept that started in Portland, OR (of course!) and they design toothbrushes with metal handles that are designed to last for years. It’s the heads that you replace once the bristles wear down, not the entire brush. This at least reduces the waste by about 70%. Huzzah.

Are you wondering about electric toothbrushes? I myself am still a Sonicare user (I’m not perfect, and I’m not claiming to be) and I’ve loved what it’s done for my teeth. But yep, it’s plastic. I’d love to see some biodegradable materials out there for those of us using electric toothbrushes. The Goodwell company that I mentioned above seems to have a really nice option, actually, so check it out!

Cracking down on PFC’s in our floss

I’ve always been an avid flosser. Not to go into graphic detail, but I’ve got some gaps between my back teeth that definitely need some excavating on the reg. Some people aren’t into flossing, and there are advocates both for and against it. I’ll let you make the educated decision about whether or not you want to floss, but if you choose to, I want to provide some tips about how to cut the plastic out.

Yes, it’s not just the containers that are plastic. The floss itself is made of plastic and coated with PFC’s, a chemical found in teflon, added to make the floss glide more easily between your teeth. Theoretically, that means nasty petroleum bits can lodge themselves in your mouth and enter your body relatively easily. No thanks, dude. Thankfully I found some decent alternatives, so sorry Reach!

Dental Lace is completely zero waste and made out of silk. Everything about it is compostable, except for the cute little glass jars which are, of course, recyclable. It’s also refillable!
Le Negri plastic-free floss comes in a cute little metal tin instead of a plastic case. Beeswax coats the natural silk floss instead of any petroleum-based substances. It is made in France and a bit more expensive, so shop wisely.
I came across quite a few “eco” options in plastic packs that are at least coated with natural substances instead of PFC’s, but ya know, the plastic pack…so maybe not the best option, but they are a bit cheaper. See Eco-Dent and Radius.

Ditching the toothpaste tubes

Toothpaste is one of the easier options to swap out for a plastic-free version, which is great, so if you’re at a loss, you can at least start here! We all know the majority of those aesthetically-pleasing toothpastes come packaged in plastic tubes which most definitely are not recyclable. Convenient, yes, but the eco-journey is about finding other priorities. Here are some fun options to keep things fresh in your mouth.

Keep in mind that when you’re swapping over to an eco-friendly toothpaste, most of them will ditch fluoride and have some alternative flavor profiles and freshening ingredients. This might take a bit of getting used to, but in the end, so worth it. I personally don’t mind the baking soda flavor that comes in a lot of my natural tooth powders!

Tooth powders are GREAT. I bought a toothpaste powder from my local farmer’s market last summer and loved it. Dirty Hippie offers a fun range of toothpowders on their Etsy shop. They come in a cute glass jar and also provide a plethora of other vegan, plastic-free beauty and health products. The Dirt Taste also has a really nice option in the world’s cutest mini mason jar! I like the look of the Black Pearl activated charcoal tooth powder as well. Check them all out and see if one of these options will suit you.
Toothpaste in a jar is a great option if you’re not into powder. Georganics offers such a product, as well as toothpaste tabs, which we’ll talk about next…
Toothpaste tabs! So fun! Perfectly portioned, and there is a load of options available. Weldental offers chewable tablets with some really nice flavors. Dent Tabs is a popular brand but do have fluoride in them, so if you’re trying to avoid fluoride, skip these. Curious what the deal is with fluoride? It’s known to help strengthen your teeth but can also be toxic when ingested. There are plenty of articles about it out there, so you’ll have to develop your own opinions.
You can also DIY your own toothpaste powder if that sounds fun and you love a good project. Here’s a nice how-to!

Other fun plastic-free oral care offerings

The plastic-free fun doesn’t stop here, folks. Have you heard of a tongue scraper? It might change your life. My mom thinks it’s a gimmick, but I use one and love it. It keeps your taste buds fresh and scrapes off all sorts of nasty bacteria.

You can also make your own mouthwash with eco-friendly ingredients, which definitely adds to that minty mouth delight.

Just start with one step

Don’t feel overwhelmed! Take a deep breath and tackle one new plastic-free switch once you run out of the current product you’re using. Maybe it’s toothpaste, maybe floss, or maybe you have a free Saturday afternoon and want to try DIY mouthwash. Go for it! You’ve got this.

I still haven’t transitioned to plastic-free floss (again, human here, imperfect, working on it). That’s my goal for February.

I’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment down below if you have questions, suggestions, or any helpful advice for fellow TGB readers.

Stay fresh, my friends. Thanks for joining the journey. A favor? If you like the articles I post, send them to a friend or subscribe to my email list. I’d love to stay in touch!