Easy, Low Waste Dental Routine

I realized recently that it’s been months since I emptied our tiny bin in the Cottage bathroom. Thanks to the changes we’ve made to our bath and body care habits, we almost never have any trash/recycling leftover. Making some simple modifications to our long-standing home dental care routine was one of the easiest ways to reduce our waste.

The products we use now are just as economical, consume no extra space, and even beautify our little bathroom. (Who knew that dental hygiene products could be so lovely to look at?!)

Toothpaste 
By 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. Over 1 billion plastic toothpaste tubes are thrown away annually, ending up in landfills and oceans. What can you do to help? A simple shift in our small daily practices can help us all make a dent. Bite makes cruelty-free, plastic-free, zero waste toothpaste tablets sent in refillable glass containers. When you need to replenish your supply, Bite sends new tablets in compostable kraft envelopes padded with post-consumer recycled newspapers. Just pour them into the glass bottle they shipped upon your initial purchase, and voila.

Toothbrush (Adult)
Adam and I like our compostable brushes from The Natural Family Co. Their Bio Toothbrush handles, stands and packaging are all compostable. The handle is made from non-GMO corn starch, and the packaging is cornstarch, too. The nylon bristles are BPA free and recyclable.  To dispose, break off the toothbrush head for recycling, and place the rest of the toothbrush into your compost tumbler or pile. It usually takes about 1 year to break down into a chalk like stick in a home compost, and 90 days to break down in a commercial compost.

Toothbrush (Child)
Our child uses either a 100% natural, plant-based, biodegradable bamboo child’s travel brush from Helen Milan Home, or his Foreo, which was gifted to him when he was a baby. The Foreo is NOT zero waste, but since we have it we decided to put it to good use until it stops functioning.  I like that the head is replaceable, and that it’s a sleek design— especially for a child’s electric brush. West enjoys brushing with this device, so we use it whenever we are home.

Mouthwash
We are lucky enough to have a home and hygiene supply refill station (ReContained) within biking distance. It’s where we stock up on locally-made Ujjayi mouthwash in our reusable apothecary bottle. But for those who don’t have a refill shop nearby, Simply By Christine shared an excellent zero waste mouthwash recipe and tutorial, here.

Floss 
We use refillable floss, which arrives initially in a small glass bottle, and can then be refilled as needed. The floss is cruelty-free and compostable, and the refills arrive in compostable paper packaging.