Eco-Friendly Dental Care: 8 Sustainable Tips for a Healthier Smile and Planet

As the echoes of climate change grow louder and more necessary, so does the pressing need to take action. As we stand at this crucial crossroads, even the smallest choices we make today, including our dental care routines, will define the future. One such choice is the move towards sustainability, including choosing eco-friendly oral care products and practices that reduce your carbon footprint and help prevent climate change.

Here are some helpful tips to help you make greener choices in your daily oral care routine.

1. Recycling Dental Products

Your old toothbrush probably wasn’t on the list of things you thought you could recycle, right? Well, you’ll be pleased to learn that many dental care products, like toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, and floss containers, can be recycled through specialised recycling programmes.

One such example is the Terracycle program by Colgate, where you can send your empty toothpaste tubes and caps, toothbrushes, toothpaste cartons, toothbrush outer packaging, and floss containers for recycling.

You can also check if your local recycling facility accepts the types of plastics you have or look for other programmes that ensure that these items are properly recycled. There are many public drop-off points across the UK where you can leave your dental care products and their packaging

2. Making Your Own Mouthwash

Taking inspiration from Nara Smith, you can make your own mouthwash recipes from scratch. Doing so will not only help you money but allow you to remove or add ingredients to address your specific concerns, for instance, bad breath; and adjust the taste to make it more appealing to your tastebuds for a quick swish.

Homemade mouthwash can be a safe, effective, and eco-friendly alternative to commercial products that often come in plastic bottles and contain hard-to-pronounce harsh chemicals. A simple recipe includes mixing water with a few drops of essential oils like peppermint, spearmint, lemon, or tea tree oil. Not only does this reduce plastic waste, but it also allows you to avoid the chemicals found in many store-bought mouthwashes.

When you consider the cost of mouthwash and the plastic involved, making your own is a logical option when choosing eco-friendly oral care products.

3. Eating a Healthy Diet for Healthy Teeth

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains supports oral health and reduces the need for excessive dental treatments. Foods high in sugar and processed carbohydrates contribute to tooth decay and often come in non-recyclable packaging. By choosing whole, natural foods, you promote both oral and environmental health.

4. Choosing a Sustainable Toothbrush

A staggering 23 billion toothbrushes are trashed every year around the world. When it comes to tackling the causes of climate change, the humble toothbrush might not seem very concerning, but its impact becomes evident when we consider the startling number of plastic toothbrushes discarded every year, worsening the global plastic pollution crisis.

Plastic toothbrushes find their way into oceans and waterways, where they take very long, almost a year, to decompose. They are even mistaken for food by the marine animals. Studies have reported that marine life ingests plastic debris that harms their gut, leading to digestive blockages, internal injuries, and, eventually, death.

When these plastics finally decompose, they release harmful chemicals that not only endanger marine life and upset the ecosystem but also harm human health. These chemicals include phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), which have been linked to a wide range of health problems, like hormonal disruptions, reproductive issues, and even cancer. This underscores the importance of reducing plastic pollution to help safeguard not only the health of our planet but also the health of future generations.

When considering choosing eco-friendly oral care products, one of the simplest ways to do your part for the planet and green your dental routine is to choose an eco-friendly toothbrush. Instead of traditional plastic toothbrushes that contribute to the growing problem of plastic waste, you can try opting for a greener alternative, like bamboo.

Toothbrushes made from natural materials, such as bamboo, are a renewable resource that is plastic-free and, thus, biodegrades naturally, making it a much more sustainable choice. Bamboo grows fast and does not require a lot of water or pesticides, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, it has the ability to absorb excess carbon dioxide from the environment than other trees and produces more oxygen, cleaning the atmosphere and the air better to breathe. Some bamboo toothbrushes also come with recyclable bristles, further reducing their environmental impact.

5. Using Natural Toothpaste

In the UK, a whopping 300 million tubes of toothpaste are used every year. As these tubes are made of plastic and metal foil (aluminum) bonded together, they can’t be recycled and thus end up in landfill and our precious oceans. On average, it takes about 500 years for plastic to biodegrade in landfill, meaning that a tube of toothpaste you use stays there long after you’ve passed away.

Many conventional toothpastes also contain harmful chemicals and microplastics that can wash down our drains and affect delicate aquatic ecosystems and sea life. These eventually end up in the bellies of the fish and on our plates when we eat seafood.

The presence of microplastics in fish gut has been reported in various species of fish, including some types of mackerel, common soles, and northern cod. Although most seafood is eviscerated before consumption, studies show that this doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of ingesting microplastics.

Switching to a toothpaste that’s more sustainably packaged is a more eco-friendly option. When buying toothpaste, look for one that comes in recyclable or compostable packaging. Alternatively, you can try toothpaste tablets or powders, which often come in plastic-free recyclable containers, like glass jars or cardboard. Toothpaste tablets, therefore, have a lower carbon footprint and can help you reduce waste and make your contribution to reducing climate change.

You can also look for toothpaste that contains natural ingredients, free from preservatives and harsh chemicals like sulphates and artificial sweeteners that can harm your teeth.

6. Opting for Zero-Waste Floss

Non-recyclable dental floss is another dental care product that often contributes significantly to plastic waste. Traditional floss is typically made from nylon or Teflon, plastics that do not naturally decompose and persist in our ecosystem for years and years, posing many environmental challenges.

Nylon production involves the use of fossil fuels, emitting greenhouse gases and exacerbating the climate crisis. In addition, floss containers are also made from plastic, making matters worse.

Teflon is the same material used to coat your cooking pans to make them non-stick, and exposure to this plastic has been linked to various health conditions like thyroid disorders, cancer, autoimmune diseases, neurotoxicity, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Fortunately, a variety of eco-friendly solutions are available today to help you choose greener alternatives.

To reduce your environmental footprint, choose floss made from biodegradable materials such as silk, cotton, or plant-based fibers and packaged in refillable or compostable packaging. Buying dental floss in bulk quantities to minimise packaging waste is also a great way to go green and reduce the carbon footprint.

Another helpful tip is to always compost biodegradable floss or dispose of it in a waste basket. Don’t flush it down the toilet, as plastic waste can lead to blockages in plumbing systems.

7. Running Water Only When Rinsing

Leaving the water running while brushing your teeth may seem inconsequential, but did you know that it can actually have a huge impact on climate change?

Conserving water goes beyond just saving water; it plays a pivotal role in conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is because rendering water fit for use takes a lot of energy. Hence, if you choose to save water, you end up saving a lot of energy to pump, treat, and heat water, consequently reducing greenhouse gas emissions, too.

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), you can lose as much as four gallons of water if you leave the water tap on while brushing your teeth. This means that if you brush twice a day, you end up wasting eight gallons a day, over 200 gallons every month, and over 2,400 gallons a year.

Water conservation is an essential aspect of eco-friendly dental care. Being mindful of the water you use while brushing your teeth can help save large amounts of precious water. To conserve water while brushing your teeth, turn off the tap while you are brushing and only turn it on to rinse your mouth and toothbrush once you have completed brushing.

Alternatively, you can fill a cup with enough water to do the job and then rinse your mouth with water from the cup instead of directly from the washbasin. This simple habit can save a significant amount of water over time.

8. Visiting an Eco-Conscious Dentist

Seek out a dental practice that prioritises sustainability efforts. All those pieces of paper used for recordkeeping and communication soon build up to produce a huge amount of paper waste. Eco-conscious dental practices use technology to reduce paper and plastic waste.

For example, they use digital records to reduce paper waste, implement energy-efficient practices like digital X-rays and impressions, and use environmentally friendly materials. Supporting such practices encourages the dental industry to adopt more sustainable methods.

And don’t forget to use public transport when going to see your dentist to reduce your carbon footprint!

The Bottom Line

Our planet has limited resources, and we all need to play our part in protecting and preserving the earth’s resources for future generations. Remember, small changes add up to make a great difference in the long run.

Choosing eco-friendly oral care products is one of the many ways we can make the leap toward a greener, more sustainable future. The power to bring change is within our hands, and it is only a decision away.

Start today by incorporating these 8 eco-friendly tips into your dental care routine, and enjoy the benefits of a healthier smile and a healthier planet.

At Zental, we recognise the growing need to take care of our planet while maintaining great oral health. This is why we go the extra mile to adopt and encourage eco-friendly oral care practices that not only help brighten up your smile and boost your confidence but also reduce your environmental impact, making this world a better place to live.