Eco-Friendly Dental Care |
Top 20 Picks
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Navigating the world of eco-friendly dental products can be challenging. There is so much information to absorb and analyze. You might have the desire to take care of the planet, but it can be overwhelming, confusing, and time-consuming to find the right products. That’s why I have done the hard research for you…at least for all things oral care.
In my last two blog posts, I introduced the reasons for reducing oral care waste and laid out the debate on toothpaste ingredients. Please refer to Part 2 for more information on some of the ingredients that I mention in the products below.
Now, let’s get straight to the good stuff – my top 20 picks for eco-friendly dental products. Browse the best toothbrushes, toothpastes, tablets, and floss for a zero-waste lifestyle. And, read to the end for a bonus on dental flossers!
Four Best Toothbrushes
1) Preserve makes plastic toothbrushes with nylon bristles. The brushes are made of 100% recycled plastic that they have collected through their Gimme 5 recycling program or through their ocean cleanup program. Collect and return six Preserve toothbrushes through their takeback program and get a $6 coupon to use on your next purchase from their store.
Shop “Preserve” plastic brushes at Earthhero.
2) Go to Radius for a selection of eco-friendly toothbrushes for adults. They sell reusable handles with replacement heads made of plant-based plastic. The handles, too, are either plant-based bioplastic or upcycled materials. Upcycled materials can include wood, paper, hemp, coconut,…even paper money!
Shop brush replacements and natural handles at Earthhero. Or, buy directly on madebyradius.com to use the coupon code WEALHOUSE and get 10% off your purchase.
3) Our Wealhouse Store has one of the best prices on bamboo toothbrushes with colorful nylon bristles. Find sizes for adults or kids, plus bamboo toothbrush holders and eco-friendly travel cases. Each handle is made of natural bamboo that is safe to compost, but please remove and discard the nylon bristles first.
Shop bamboo brushes at the Wealhouse Store.
4) If you’re looking for a fully compostable option, choose “Brush with Bamboo.” Their bamboo brushes have bioplastic bristles made from castor bean oil. The bristles wear down more quickly than nylon bristles, so you might need to replace them more frequently than other kinds of brushes.
Shop Brush with Bamboo compostable brushes at EarthHero.
(Honorable mentions: miswak and neem sticks are two more natural toothbrushes that have been used over the ages, especially in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.)
Ten Best Toothpastes
1) Tom’s of Maine sells both fluoride and fluoride-free toothpastes in plastic tubes. Tom’s dental products are rated highly on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) guide to personal care products. The company is currently switching to fully recyclable #2 plastic tubes and is one of the few big companies that sponsors a recycling program. The program accepts plastic from leftover oral care products and packaging from their own brand. If you only make one eco-friendly change to your dental care routine, make sure it is recycling your plastic toothbrushes and empty toothpaste tubes!
2) David’s fluoride-free toothpaste is sourced and manufactured in the U.S.A. and packaged in recyclable metal tubes. You may choose to include with your first order a reusable metal key to roll up the end of the tube; this helps to prevents tears as you dispense the toothpaste. The average 5.25-ounce tube sells for less than $10. This natural toothpaste is also highly rated by EWG.
Shop David’s toothpaste at EarthHero.
3) Viva Doria sells a fluoride-free toothpaste that uses Montmorillonite clay (also called Bentonite clay). This clay toothpaste contains important minerals that can help strengthen tooth enamel. The taste is a little strange at first, but it leaves a clean, fresh, minty mouth afterwards. The paste is contained in a recyclable, 3-ounce glass jar with a plastic lid. If you buy through ecotradcompany.com, they will send it in eco-friendly materials and with carbon neutral shipping.
Shop Viva Doria toothpaste at EcoTradeCompany.
4) Georganics is a UK-based company that provides a wide range of fluoride-free dental products. They sell toothpaste, tablets, and powders in recyclable glass jars with metal lids. The main drawback with this brand is liking the flavor and feel of their product. The tablets have a pleasant smell, but as soon as I popped one in my mouth, it had an overwhelming taste of baking soda. Still, some people really like their line of products, including their floss and mouthwash tablets.
Shop Georganics products at EarthHero.
5) Unpaste‘s original version of their tablets does not contain fluoride, but they recently released a new fluoride option in August of 2020. The flavor is basic, with a slightly sweet, slightly minty taste, but no bubbles. They sell these tablets in compostable paper packets only. One packet of 125 tablets costs about $9 at Earthhero.com
Shop Unpaste tablets (fluoride and fluoride-free versions) at EarthHero.
6) Chewtabs by Weldental are fluoride-free tabs in a glass bottle with metal lid, and refills are in Kraft paper packaging. Weldental offers a few flavor variations, including one that incorporates nAHp. The tablets melted in my mouth, foamed up well, and had a pleasant taste. You can order them through Amazon, but that won’t guarantee they come with plastic-free packaging. If you want eco-friendly shipping materials, order through Etsy.
Shop Chewtab flavors and refills on Etsy.
7) Bite toothpaste bits are another type of tablet that substitute nHAp for fluoride. Their tablets are not as soft as Chewtabs, but they do dissolve quickly and produce mild suds with a minty flavor. The company operates on a subscription plan. Your first order includes a month’s supply of tablets which are packaged in a glass jar with an aluminum lid. They send refills in biodegradable paper packets; refills cost around $5-7 per month.
8) By Humankind produces tablets that include fluoride. They were the firmest of the tablets I tried and didn’t foam up, but they still dissolved well and left me with a fresh smile. My favorite part was the refillable container: glass with a customizable silicone lid! Subscription refills are packaged in compostable Kraft paper and delivered with carbon neutral shipping. The initial order of 60 tablets costs about $15.00, but they charge around $24 for refills. You can add mouthwash tablets and waste-free floss for a discount on toothpaste refills.
9) Hello offers many types of toothpastes in plastic tubes, but their zero-waste option is fluoride-free tooth tablets in a recyclable metal tin. Their tablets are the largest ones I’ve seen, but they don’t produce much suds. They have a crystalized, gritty texture before dissolving fully and are one of the sweeter brands of tablets. Shop for either the regular mint or the activated charcoal option online or in retail stores (e.g., Walmart). Get 60 tablets for around $9.
10) Kaylaan sells fluoride-free tablets in a reusable tin. The unique quality of this brand is their special neem tablets, but you can choose from a selection of six flavors in all. The peoples of Asia have been using neem as a natural source of phosphorus and other minerals in oral health for centuries. As you can imagine, the neem tablets have a medicinal flavor, but not terribly unpleasant. The tablet melted quickly in my mouth and had the best foaminess, too. Get 90 tablets in a starter tin for $10 and each refill for $8; you only pay a small shipping fee.
Shop for Kaylaan tablets on Etsy.
(Please Note: If you have coconut allergies, be sure to read the ingredient lists because many natural tooth products contain coconut oil or coconut-derived substances in their pastes, tablets, and floss. Bite, Georganics, David’s, Hello, and Kaylaan, are merely a few you need to watch out for.)
Five Best Floss Brands
Most floss is synthetic fiber, such as nylon, polyester, or Teflon (PTFE). These synthetic plastics are made from fossil fuels, and some (like PTFE) contain toxins. If they’re waxed flosses, they might be coated in a petroleum-based wax, too. Additionally, dental picks are almost always plastic and use nylon floss coated in synthetic wax. All these types of flossing products are nonbiodegradable and nonrecyclable.
If you’re looking for something more earth-friendly, go with bamboo fiber, plant-based bioplastic, or natural silk. Each is fully biodegradable, but each has its downsides, too. Bamboo fiber is coarse and can be harsh on gums and teeth. Plant-based floss (usually PLA made from GMO corn) is not as durable and shreds or breaks easily between teeth. Natural silk sometimes uses chemical pesticides during its production; and it isn’t vegan.
1) Treebird floss comes in two varieties: silk or bamboo fiber. Their peace silk floss is coated with Candelilla wax and mint essential oil, and it’s 100% compostable. The bamboo floss is bamboo fiber, activated charcoal, natural Candellila wax, mint essential oil, and 19% biodegradable polymer (source material unspecified). They package their floss in stainless steel or glass jars inside a Kraft paper box that’s printed with soy-based ink.
2) Me.Mother.Earth offers bamboo fiber floss coated with vegan candelilla wax and peppermint essential oil to sooth the gums and prevent irritation. Choose a refillable container made of bamboo or a glass one with a metal lid. Get refills in a Kraft paper box.
Shop floss in a bamboo container, floss in a glass container, or floss refills on Etsy.
3) NetZeroCompany and Bite both sell corn floss, which is actually a bioplastic called polylactic acid, or PLA. This vegan floss is coated with vegetable wax or other plant-based lubricant and sold in a glass bottle with a metal lid. You may safely compost it at home!
Shop at NetZeroCompany for PLA corn floss.
4) Radius makes green tea jasmine silk floss coated with organic carnauba wax, erythritol, and coconut oil. If you want a version without coconut, you can purchase the unscented kind, which is only silk floss and Candelilla wax. Choose a spool in a paper box with a built-in cutter, or get individually-wrapped floss strips in what they call “sachets.” Everything, including the paper packaging, is 100% biodegradable. Radius also sells nylon floss, so be careful to choose the right one when you shop.
Shop at EarthHero for “Radius” silk floss, OR
Use the coupon code WEALHOUSE for a 10% discount at madebyradius.com.
5) By Humankind also offers natural silk floss coated with vegetable wax, jojoba oil, and essential oils. It is sold on a spool made of sugarcane bioplastic, and the spool fits into a refillable glass container with a silicone top. Refills are shipped in compostable pouches. Shipping is always free and carbon neutral!
Downsides to Picks and Flossing Tools
A few companies like Grin, The Humble Co., and Quip have tried to create more sustainable and eco-friendly dental flossers, but none is perfect. They all use plastic-based floss string.
Grin pick handles are compostable corn bioplastic, but you need to remove and discard the nylon string in the trash. The Humble Co. floss is either nylon or polyethylene, and their picks are 40% corn PLA and 60% polypropylene (thus not biodegradable).
Quip sells refillable floss dispensers AND reusable dental picks. The floss dispensers hold a 3-month supply of waxed polyester floss in a recyclable paper spool. For the floss picks you have the choice of a plastic or metal handle in a nice little case. The floss pick refill pods, made of recyclable paper, hold waxed nylon floss.
BONUS - Best Flossers
If you rely on a flossing tool, try one that can fit any type of biodegradable floss you choose.
I’ve chosen the Flossaid on Amazon and the Easy Flosser from Orthomechanics. Though both flossing tools are plastic and ship in plastic packaging, you can reuse them over and over, unlike numerous single-use picks that go into the trash.
1) The Flossaid is a easy and effective design that lets you thread your own floss string into the handle. Simply wind your floss around the middle wheel a couple times and thread it through the grooves. Wrap it around the wheel again at the end to secure the string.
2) The Easy Flosser is a little more complex and is sold with its own spool of nylon floss. You can still use a separate piece of floss string with the Easy Flosser if you lock the free end into place. Or, you can reuse the spool that comes with it and wrap your own floss around it. I have also found that the floss spool from By Humankind fits into the Easy Flosser, too!
What's Most Important to You?
Now that you have a good list of zero-waste choices, you get to decide what features matter most to you. Do you want fluoride in your toothpaste? Then, choose Unpaste or By Humankind tablets. Do you want a toothpaste that foams up? Then, go with Tom’s of Maine, Chewtabs, or Kaylaan products. Are you vegan? Then, avoid silk floss and choose bamboo or corn floss.
Whichever you choose, you can be mindful and take responsible action with a more planet-friendly dental routine.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. What eco-friendly dental products do you already use and love? Which ones are you most excited to try?
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