Clean Feel - Teeth
This is a bit of an area where I struggle to make the full switch. I love my electric toothbrush, and some of the toothpaste options I favor only come in the dreaded plastic tubes. However, I also love my lower waste floss and mouthwash options. And when I travel, I switch to lower waste products, as I find them lighter and easier to handle on the go. Long story short, there are many products out there to pick from and it is an easy place to start making better choices. From plastic free floss to toothpaste and mouthwash tablets. So many low waste products to discover. I am sure I will eventually find something to replace all of my favorites as well.
One of the items I’ve been using for years now is plastic free floss, refillable floss, and floss in paper packaging. There are options made from natural silk, nylon, or corn fiber, all coated in either candelilla wax, beeswax, vegetable, or simply unwaxed. Animal product-based floss can be easily composted at home, however there are some vegan friendly options out there as well that fall into the biodegradable category. I am sure there’s so much more out there that I yet have to discover. RADIUS Anywhere Floss is a nice hygienic option on the go. They come in individual paper strips with floss sandwiched inbetween. I simply pull the paper wrapper apart in the middle and then expose the floss and use it. It’s a learning curve, but doable. The floss is strong and won’t rip halfway through. It is pure silk, Fair-Trade, so keep that in mind if you are avoiding such materials. The RADIUS pure silk unscented is a great option as well. Strong and easy to use in my opinion. A daily go to option in my bathroom. Same Fair-Trade silk and all compostable. The ecomended Dental Floss is a corn starch-based floss. It comes in a glass vial with a metal topper, inside of a paper cover. I noticed that the newer design is a bit lower waste and doesn’t seem to come with the thicker paper casing. The glass vial can be refilled. The floss is strong, and the topper is great to cut the strands to the perfect length. The Eco Dent Floss is a vegan floss option that is not coated in beeswax and made from nylon. The packaging is made from paper and can be tossed into your home compost bin. It’s not as strong as the other floss options I use, but I liked the packaging and the non-mint flavor options.
Another wonderful discovery are mouthwash tablets. The ones I currently use are by georganics in English Peppermint and come in a glass bottle. They have a lot a flavors to choose from. You simply add them to a bit of water, let them dissolve and then swish away. Super nice mouth feel and a minty aftertaste. They also offer refill packs, but the packaging is lined with PLA, which I usually try to avoid. There’s no facility around here that can handle this material. We could argue that if we pull the liner out, we can compost the paper and dispose of the liner separately, which is a little better than plastic bottles. But this decision is one that everyone has to make for themselves.
When I travel, I always bring a wood or bamboo toothbrush. I find it lightweight and it’s a nice change from my electric option at home. The bristles come in nylon, bamboo or activated bamboo charcoal fiber, boar hair, Nylon-4 (a petroleum-based plastic that’s supposed to be biodegradable when conditions are right), and so much more. It makes sense to find your match and do a little research before purchasing a new mate. Many of them sadly come with nylon bristles, but it is still a much lower waste option than your traditional plastic handle. The packaging of the greenzla brush I use currently is paper and fully compostable for me, so that’s always a nice option. I am on the hunt for a natural fiber bristle toothbrush for the future.
Another item I bring when I travel are toothpaste tablets. I can get them at a local zero waste store in a little paper bag. I pop one in my mouth, chew it up and then brush with a wet toothbrush. They foam up and make you feel clean and fresh afterwards. Super option and one I’d like to explore a bit further.
