A sustainable dental care routine
Did you know that 4.7 billion toothbrushes land up in landfills every year? It takes anywhere between 200-700 years to start decomposing. So every toothbrush you and I have ever produced is sitting on our planet somewhere!
While this sounds rather terrifying, there are very realistic and practical solutions available to tackle this issue. Every aspect of our daily routine can be tweaked to make it more sustainable and dental care is no exception to the rule.
By switching over to sustainable dental care practices, you can maintain your oral health, while minimising your impact on the planet.
Here are some super easy ways to create a more eco-friendly dental care routine!
Ditch the mouthwashes and start the good ol’ oil pulling instead!
Oil pulling is a pretty ancient practice that has been increasingly gaining popularity, for all the right reasons!
It’s a simple technique that involves swishing a tablespoon of oil, usually coconut, sesame or sunflower oil, around your mouth for 10-15 minutes. After the recommended time, spit it out and wash your mouth clean.
It helps greatly to remove bacteria and toxins from your mouth, promoting overall oral hygiene. Unlike traditional mouthwashes, oil pulling uses a super natural substance with no packaging waste involved at all!
Bring back the tooth powders!
Tooth powders are the best alternatives to traditional toothpaste. Tooth powders typically contain natural ingredients such as activated charcoal, salt, neem, clove and others, which are excellent for oral health.
While toothpastes come packaged in plastic tubes, which would invariably end up in landfills or the environment, tooth powders are packaged in glass jars or recyclable containers, thereby minimising plastic waste.
Bare Necessities’ Activated Charcoal Tooth Powder contains all the goodness of all natural ingredients, all while coming packaged in glass jars.
To use it, wet your toothbrush and dip into the tooth powder. Proceed to brush your teeth per usual and rinse thoroughly.
Don’t forget the toothbrushes!
An essential component of any dental care routine is the toothbrush and opting for an eco-friendly alternative can significantly reduce your environmental footprint. Traditional plastic toothbrushes contribute to landfill waste, while opting for sustainable alternatives like bamboo toothbrushes do not. Bamboo toothbrushes are naturally biodegradable, breaking down a lot quicker, thereby reducing landfill waste.
Our compostable toothbrushes have now improved and come in a variety of four new colours, making it easy for families to go zero waste and avoid plastic while keeping track of whose brush is whose. Furthermore, our toothbrush now features unique engravings, catering to those who are visually impaired. By running your fingers through the engravings, users can easily identify their own brush, making the switch to sustainable brushing ever so simple.
We at Bare Necessities are also currently working on creating dental tablets, which serve as alternatives to traditional toothpaste. These small, chewable tablets contain the necessary ingredients to clean your teeth without the need for a plastic tube.
By making these small changes in something as routine as brushing, you contribute to a healthier planet. Every step towards a sustainable life counts and your dental care routine is a great place to start.