Our Top 5 Plastic-Free Dental Care Picks

Our Top 5 Plastic-Free Dental Care Picks 

When we think about reducing our impact, the first instinct is to use less, use longer, and replace more sustainably. Of course, using a toothbrush for longer than the recommended 3-4 month replacement time is just simply not a go. 

This is why a whopping 3.5 billion plastic toothbrushes end up in landfill each year worldwide (each taking about 500 years to break down!).

Fortunately, ‘replacing more sustainably’ is a perfectly viable and surprisingly accessible option!

If you’re looking for a sustainable solution for your dental care regime, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into our top 5 plastic-free dental care picks for a whole mouth (and the planet) clean!

1. Toothpaste Chews

Ready to say goodbye to those plastic tubes of brightly coloured toothpaste? Toothpaste chews are perhaps one of the easiest (and most fun) ways to swap to plastic-free and natural toothpaste!

These toothpaste tablets from The Good Company are premeasured so that you get the perfect amount of paste to clean your whole mouth. They come in a reusable jar with compostable refill sachets for easy top-ups without waste. 

We love that there is no product left behind in a tricky tube and feel confident brushing away without any added nasties or questionable colours. 

We are firm believers in using up what you have first before making the switch, but when you are ready, did you know you can drop off or send us your old plastic toothpaste tubes to be recycled? You can learn more about this here! 

2. Bamboo Toothbrush

No plastic-free dental care must-haves list would be complete without a good ol’ bamboo toothbrush!

Why are bamboo toothbrushes better than plastic, you ask?

First, bamboo regenerates at an impressive rate, making it a sustainable resource for items that need to be replaced quite often, like your toothbrush. 

Second, bamboo is actually compostable and breaks down fully into our soil without any toxins or microplastics. This makes disposing of the brushes far more planet-friendly!

And finally, brushing with bamboo is just as effective for your dental hygiene while eliminating oral contact with plastic - woohoo!

3. Charcoal Whitening Powder

One of the most common natural toothpaste myths we hear is that natural pastes won’t whiten your teeth. 

While we understand the root of this misconception (most whiteners are chemically enhanced) the truth is that there are great natural whitening ingredients that can keep your pearly whites on fleek all year long!

This Charcoal Whitening Powder from Love Beauty Foods is a gentle yet effective solution for sparkling white teeth without plastics, parabens, or any other scary ingredients! The best part? You’ll never have to worry about the sensitive side effects most whitening products leave behind!

4. Tooth Tonic

Now we know what you’re thinking - what about mouthwash!? Two words. Tooth Tonic!

This super clever product actually multitasks as a mouthwash, toothpaste, and oral health miracle!

With a blend of essential oils specifically formulated to improve the health of your mouth, this mouthwash replacement is actually better for your oral routine than damaging mouthwashes. 

And just to sweeten the deal a little more, the tonic comes in a small, easy-to-store bottle that will last you months on end! 

5. Tongue Scraper

Last but certainly not least is our handy dandy tongue scraper! 

If you haven’t seen our founder, Ellie, demonstrate this product on our Insta, the easiest way to explain the tongue scraper is to think of your favourite batch of brownie batter (stay with us here).

You’ve just whipped up some mouthwatering brownie mix and you want to get every last drop out of that bowl and into the tin. You’ve got 2 tools to choose from. A spatula, or a metal spoon. 

Now the spoon does an alright job here. It gets the majority of the mix out, but no matter how many times you go over the bowl, there are still sneaky little lines of brownie goodness left behind. 

This is your toothbrush. 

While it’s great for removing the plaque and debris from your teeth (the big stuff in the bowl) it just can’t clean the bottom of the bowl (your tongue) quite enough.

A spatula, on the other hand, has an edge specifically designed to clean every bit of that bowl, which, as we now know is like your tongue. 

A tongue scraper, like a spatula, is able to scrape away the bacteria that get caught up on your tongue while you sleep and throughout the day. This is actually the main cause of conditions like bad breath! 

Your Plastic-Free Dental Care Swaps

There you have it, our 5 favourite plastic-free dental care products to make oral health sustainable and fun! 

Have you made the swap to a plastic-free toothbrush or other dental care must-have yet? Tell us about your favourite oral care products below and help your fellow zero-waste heroes master the art of plastic-free brushing!

If you loved this blog we think you'll love our 10 Natural & Plastic Free Medicine Cabinet Swap Essentials blog too! 

Until next time GFZ's xx