Home > Living > Our guide to a plastic-free oral hygiene routine

Our guide to a plastic-free oral hygiene routine

From dental floss to toothpaste, here’s our guide on how to keep your teeth and the planet clean

Toothbrush, toothpaste and box on the baisin
Sometimes it’s not easy being green, but hopefully this guide will help

Our bathrooms can be one of the hardest rooms in the house to make more plastic-free. An everyday staple of everyone’s bathroom is of course their toothbrush.

It seems like everyone is getting on the bamboo brush wagon (and rightly so, the average plastic toothbrush takes 1000 years to decompose), so we’ve made sure to include some alternatives to harder-to-change products like toothpaste, mouthwash and floss.

Most of these products come in at under £10, so it’s well worth the small investment to help keep our planet (as well as your teeth) squeaky clean.

Toothbrushes

The Pearly White Club, £3.99 a month or £30 a year

Funky colours delivered straight to your door

Buying a new toothbrush every month or so is a total pain. The Pearly White club eliminates this annoying chore by delivering their brushes straight to your door.

Their brushes are made from MOSO bamboo, which is completely panda-friendly. They say their bamboo brushes only take a few months to decompose, compared to 1000 years your plastic toothbrush would be hanging around.

The Pearly White Club also supports homelessness charity, New Hope.

The Humble Co, £3.99

The Humble Co is available widely in Holland and Barrett

The Humble Co’s brushes are made from 100% biodegradable bamboo and come in entirely recyclable packaging.

Their brushes are available in Holland and Barrett or online, and for each one sold they donate a portion of the price to oral health for children in need.

Mouthwash

Georganics, £6.90

Products from Georganics have beautiful packaging, so you can display this mouthwash on your bathroom sink with pride

This mouthwash from Georganics is actually an oil-pulling mouthwash. Oil pulling involves swishing a combination of oils, in this case coconut and peppermint, for between five and twenty minutes. This is supposed to ‘pull off’ harmful bacteria from your teeth.

The swishing motion is a little labour intensive, but studies suggest that oil pulling does have a positive effect on elimination of harmful plaque and bacteria.

Toothpaste

Denttabs, £8.50 for 180 tablets

You can order paper bag refills of these tablets too

These toothpaste tablets come in a refillable glass jar and are perfect for on-the-go. To use them, you simply pop one in your mouth and chew, then brush as normal.

These tablets also contain fluoride to battle plaque and bacteria. After you buy your first jar, you can simply purchase the refill packs (and at a lower price too).

Truthpaste, £3.35

This cute pot of toothpaste is also vegan and cruelty-free

This handmade mineral toothpaste is made from aloe vera, neem, myrrh and other essential oils. It comes in a recycled glass jar and is also 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

It’s totally free from chemicals and bleaching agents, so it’s natural dental care is your thing, this one’s for you.

Dental floss

The White Teeth Box, £4.95

These picks are totally biodegradable and a great replacement for more industrial flossers

Floss sticks from The White Teeth Box are made from activated charcoal, which is naturally anti-bacterial and enhances blood circulation.

The sticks themselves are made from cornstarch, and the fibres are made from bamboo. So the whole stick is biodegradable – how great is that?

Georganics, £4.90

It’s Georganic again – these guys are killing it with their dental care range. Their floss is made from charcoal fibres and polyester yarn and coated with peppermint oil.

The floss also comes in a cardamon flavour and the packaging is totally compostable too.

You may also like
Everything you need for a plastic-free holiday
Why we’re supporting Surfers Against Sewage
Reuse single-use plastic with these home organisation hacks