Ideas for green and healthy teeth

Yesterday we looked at eco-friendly toothpaste options, but greener teeth care doesn’t end there. There are lots of other issues involved with keeping your teeth care habits green and healthy.

Source Toothbrush shown above

Green your toothbrush:

When it comes to toothbrushes, plenty end up in the landfill. Right now there are about 306,856,031 people in the U.S. alone. Since most experts advise changing your toothbrush every 3-4 months, not to mention after an illness, that’s an astounding number of brushes used, most of which are plastic. Some better choices for an eco-friendly toothbrush include…

Preserve toothbrushes: The handle is made from 100% recycled plastic and when it’s time for a new toothbrush you can send the toothbrush and case back to Preserve using their postage-paid label and your old toothbrush will be re-processed into plastic lumber for picnic tables, boardwalks and decks. Preserve also makes BPA-free recycled toothbrushes for kids.

Source Toothbrush from Radius: Made with 93% recycled material and 47% renewable resource material. Handles are molded from recycled US dollar bills/recycled flax and recycled wood all blended with recycled polypropylene resulting in a bio-plastic that is 100% renewable or recycled. The head can be changed so you can keep the handle forever.

Acca Kappa Bioceta Toothbrush: Made with biodegradable resin, non-toxic, natural bristles.

Monte Bianco: Resource-efficient toothbrushes (read more at Treehugger)

Green your mouthwash:

Making your own mouthwash is a good eco-option. It cuts down on chemicals and packaging issues. Learn to make your own mouthwash. Note homemade mouthwash won’t have fluoride – the fluoride debate is discussed in the last post.

Read an in-depth piece about natural mouthwash, along with brands to try.

Green your dental floss:

Most dental floss is not biodegradable. You can use a longer lasting water or non-water pick, or choose a more eco-friendly floss.

• Cranberry Floss
• Tom’s of Maine floss
• Smart floss

Green your dentist:

Some dentists have recently gone green. More likely will soon now that the Eco-Dentistry Association has launched. Click the previous link to learn about how you can find a green dentist, how you can get your dentist to go green, and learn about tips for greener teeth care.