Grooming
The last frequently purchased single-use plastic for dental hygiene item is mouthwash.
Mouthwash tablets such as these from Georganics or mine from ByHumankind.
Mouthwash in glass bottles, even better if yo can find a place to refill it!
DIY solutions (or just warm water and salt!
Continuing our theme of “de-plasticing” our dental hygiene routine, this post will look at toothpaste alternatives.
Alternative Products
Paste in metal tubes like Davids; most have plastic caps but some are starting to use alternative biodegradable materials like the Goodwell one pictured above. Since Goodwell has updated the packaging to no longer use metal tubes but a recyclable bio-resin from sugarcane packaging.
Toothpaste tablets like these, also very convinient for traveling.
Or toothpaste in a glass jar like Georganics and Nelson’s Naturals (with metals cap), or Uncle Harry’s (with plastic cap but reusable)
Sticking with the theme of metal health, the second regularly purchased (and thrown away) plastic item is my toothbrush. I actually have been using Quip for a few years, but I have novel loved the plastic replacement heads and packaging it comes in. I decided to try out Goodwell’s premium toothbrush that also includes a subscription model and replaceable brush heads, but their heads are actually biodegradable!
Alternative Products
Bamboo toothbrushes with biodegradable bristles like Goodwell’s.
Brushes made from biodegradable plastic alternative materials or recycled (and re-recyclable) materials.
Mechanical or electric toothbrushes with biodegradable replacement heads like Goodwell’s Be Brush (which required no electricity or charging!).
I started my plastic freedom challenge with what I felt was my most wasteful single use plastic - dental flossers. I use at least one everyday and feel a pain of guilt thinking about the thousands that are sitting in a landfill from me alone. So I went on the hunt for plastic-free flosser and floss options and found three.
Silk or bamboo floss sold in cardboard or glass. If you go with the glass jar you can purchase refills for it.
Flossers made from biodegradable materials like cornstarch, charcoal or proprietary technology that have been tested (like Goodwell’s).
A water pik (or flosser) which is made form plastic but not single-use. I also have heard of a water pik attachment for the shower which is super convenient, but I’d go with this super sleek one.
