How to go green for your pearly whites | Sustainable Oral Care in Escondido, CA
Oral care can be one of those things that is often overlooked in the world of sustainability as folks can really be set in their ways and routines of what they were taught as kids when learning how to brush their teeth. There are also a ton of reasons not to switch up your routine for sustainable swaps:
I can’t live without my floss picks!
Bamboo toothbrushes feel like sandpaper in my mouth.
Natural toothpaste just doesn’t whiten as well!
These opinions, while valid, are not the end-all-be-all of sustainable oral care. With a little research and a dash of adventurousness, trying something new can lead you to even better results for your smile and the planet.
Flossin, flossin on you
Did you know that you are most likely flossing with plastic? The most common floss is that flat, waxy strip floss that glides between your teeth easy peasy, right? Well I hate to break it to ya, but where floss glides, plaque hides.
The most effective floss, according to many dental hygienists is the expanding floss that grips and has fibers that the plaque and food can cling to. Unfortunately, those fibers are also, yup you guessed it PLASTIC!
If you are someone who is trying to remove all plastic from your life, there are great plastic free alternatives out there like our vegan charcoal fiber floss which is 100% biodegradable and 100% minty and fresh. It’s my fave. :)
At Vessel, we also stock a low waste alternative for folks who don’t mind a bit of plastic, David’s expanding dental floss which is made out of PCR material and comes in a refillable case. There’s an option for everyone!
And while we don’t stock this at Vessel yet, there are also refillable floss picks as well as biodegradable floss picks out there too! These can be great for folks who might want accommodations for accessibility, too.
My recommendation would be to get a good water flosser, a biodegradable floss, and refillable floss picks for the ultimate low waste floss arsenal. Your dental hygienist will thank you at your next cleaning, I promise!
The Toothbrush Conundrum
Electric or manual? Bioplastic or bamboo handle? Nylon or boar’s hair bristles. There are so many options out there now, it can really feel daunting to make a switch.
If you don’t mind the feel of bamboo (some people can’t stand that it’s not perfectly smooth, which I get!), they do make great sustainable options for your oral care. Plus, they look chic and aesthetically pleasing in your bathroom, imo. Just be sure to take note of what your bristles are made of!
If the package doesn’t explicitly say they are made with castor oil bristles or another type of bioplastic, it’s safe to say that those bristles are not biodegradable and should not be composted with your toothbrush handle. This means, at the end of its life, you’re going to need to take tweezers or a pair of pliers to it and remove every. single. bristle. Before composting the bamboo handle. Whiiiiiich is more labor intensive than most folks are willing to take on for a single toothbrush disposal.
At Vessel, we carry both bamboo toothbrushes with nylon (usually softer and gentler) bristles and castor oil (usually a bit tougher, but more eco friendly) bristles. If you’re not sure which option would fit best in your routine, just ask! I’ll always happily make a recommendation after learning a bit more about your routine and oral care needs. (Sensitive teeth and receding gums BEWARE of too hard of bristles!)
If you’re looking for a sustainable electric toothbrush, I can assure you, they are out there! One that I’ve had my eye on for a while, but haven’t pulled the lever on yet is the Suri toothbrush. (Not spon, but Suri, if you’re reading this, my DMs are open.)
Their website says that their recyclable brush heads are plant-based. They have an aluminum body that is “built to last.” And it comes with a UV travel case that helps kill germs on your brush between uses. Sounds pretty sweet, so if any of you give this brush a go, let me know how you like it! I’m so curious.
Smile! You’re doing great, sweetie.
If this all feels overwhelming, just remember that even educating yourself on what options are out there and being aware of your impact is the first step. You don’t have to change everything in your oral care routine all at once. Just pick one new thing to try. If you have an electric toothbrush you can’t live without, maybe give plastic-free bulk toothpaste tabs a go during your next camping trip.
Do you have any eco-friendly oral care recs that I didn’t mention? Are there any products you want to see in the store soon? Let me know! I want to hear from you. :) Okay byeeeee, hope you’re being kind to yourself!
