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Dental care

You can go plastic free with your dental care, by finding more sustainable alternatives to toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss.

What you can do

Choose to refuse single-use plastic dental products. 

How you can do it

More and more people are choosing toothbrushes are made from sustainable, compostable materials, such as bamboo. Be aware though, bristles are usually still made from plastic, so you’ll need to cut them off before composting or reusing your bamboo toothbrush handle.

Purchasing a toothbrush with a replaceable head can eliminate the need to continually purchase a new plastic brush every few months, too.

When it comes to toothpaste, many health and organic stores sell plastic-free alternatives. There are also recipes available online for making your own. 

Taking the next steps

Companies are starting to offer more and more plastic free alternatives to dental floss, from the packaging to the actual product. The labelling can be confusing, but dental floss in cardboard or glass packaging with silk thread is generally plastic-free, while some dental floss made from bamboo fibre can contain polyester (a plastic fibre).

There are even vegan friendly dental floss options, available from many online specialists, switching silk for plant fibres and bees wax for plant oils. 

The impact

  • Reduce plastic waste and the use of our natural resources in creating it.
  • Prevent the chance of plastic waste entering into our natural surroundings, where it will stay forever.
  • Protect our wildlife who can mistake plastic for food.

More ideas

What others do

Glass of lemonade, bunch of straws and a plastic juice bottle

To find plastic free ideas, take the Plastic Free July challenge

Reusable carry bag, keep cups and bamboo cutlery
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