Sustainable Toothpaste: A Guide to Zero Waste Toothpaste

We love our planet and want it to remain beautiful for as long as possible.

As humans, there is a range of life-changes we can make to protect the environment and make sure the world is a great place to live. From riding our bicycles more, being conscious of our carbon footprint, and even reducing our oral hygiene waste, we can make simple changes that have a huge impact.

Many people have set an ambitious goal of living a zero-waste life. We understand that while it sounds great, it can feel overwhelming to actually accomplish. But the great news is that you don’t have to achieve that overall zero waste goal in one day. You can take a range of steps with small adjustments to work towards that goal.

A great place to start is assessing the daily habits you do every day. One thing we all do (or should all be doing) every day is brushing our teeth! We brush our teeth so we can have good oral hygiene, prevent cavities, and keep the bad breath away. But did you know that you can make your oral hygiene routine waste-free?

Yup, you read that correctly! It is possible to use zero-waste toothpaste, amongst other oral hygiene products. The toothpaste that we use not only has an impact on our teeth but the world as well! 

Recent studies have found that over one billion plastic toothpaste tubes end up sitting in landfills--that is not good!

But luckily there are alternative toothpaste options that allow us to be zero waste with our oral hygiene routine, and we are here to explain just how you can do that!

Your Guide to Finding Zero Waste Toothpaste

1. Understand the toothpaste you currently use. 

One of the easiest ways to find zero waste toothpaste is by understanding the product you are currently using. Understand what is being used to make the toothpaste and how it is made and tested. 

It is also important to not just look at the ingredients, but look at the packaging too. In addition to that, research and understand all your oral hygiene products, not just your toothpaste, including your toothbrush, mouthwash, and dental floss. You might as well make all the changes at once!

2. Zero-waste packaging does not mean zero packaging. 

It is important to realize that zero waste toothpaste packaging does not mean having zero packaging at all. Instead, it means that the materials used to package the toothpaste will not end up in a landfill like the billions of other plastic toothpaste tubes for years to come. The packaging will be made with low levels of carbon emissions, biodegradable or recyclable material, and won’t pose a threat to our natural environment! That includes the tube and the package the tube comes in!

3. Look for ingredients that are all-natural.

Zero waste toothpaste is made with natural ingredients that are often even considered to be vegan. 

A perfect example of this is Coral Toothpaste’s patented Nano Silver toothpaste, which is made using only natural products like coral calcium, xylitol, and plant extracts. That also means that even the flavoring of the toothpaste is done with xylitol, a natural sweetener that also works to keep your teeth plaque-free!

4. Take advantage of the Internet. 

If you are wanting to invest in a quality zero waste toothpaste, it is certainly encouraged to do your research online first. When you are at a grocery store, you have limited information and resources to make your decision. But doing research beforehand allows you to truly understand the ingredients in your toothpaste, where and how the toothpaste is made, reviews and testimonials from other people who have used the toothpaste, and where you can purchase one. While zero waste toothpaste is becoming more mainstream, they are not as widely available as the stock-standard brands, meaning that often times, you may need to order online.

5. Know that you can have quality and quantity! 

You don’t have to buy zero waste toothpaste in bulk, but companies like Coral Toothpaste do offer discounted 3-packs and 6-packs!

In fact, especially if you’re still testing the waters in terms of what flavor you prefer or if you want foaming versus traditional, there are even travel-sized natural toothpastes that make it easy for you to bring with you anywhere you go. This is handy for when you are going on trips, as you do not have to waste the amenity toothpaste in your hotel room, which is yet another small action to living a zero-waste life that betters the world. Take it one step further and consider an all natural oral hygiene travel bundle that includes toothpaste, a bamboo toothbrush, mouthwash, and a toothbrush cover!

6. Find a flavor you like.  

One of the best parts of non-zero waste toothpaste is the great flavors they come in. When toothpaste tastes good, you are naturally more inclined to want to use the product. Some people may expect an all natural toothpaste doesn’t taste good, but the great news is that zero waste toothpaste often takes advantage of yummy natural flavors--ours for example include Mint, Bubble Berry, and Cinnamon Tea Tree! 

7. That’s it! Now start brushing (and swishing) with natural, zero waste oral hygiene products! 

All toothpaste is designed with the goal of improving the quality of your oral hygiene. While some brands use chemicals and others use natural ingredients, all have been designed to reduce the plaque that sits on your teeth, lower the risk of you getting cavities, and ensure that your breath smells great! Zero waste toothpaste is proven to be effective in giving people healthy oral hygiene in good conscience--just make sure you’re consistent with your own oral hygiene routine and brush twice a day and swish that all-natural mouthwash while you’re at it! 

Making Your Entire Oral Hygiene Routine Zero-Waste

Now that you have got your zero-waste toothpaste sorted, it is time to up your game and make your entire oral hygiene routine zero-waste as well. Don’t worry, it is just as straightforward to make the changes with your other products as it is with your toothpaste! 

Here are five simple hacks you can do to elevate your oral hygiene routine to one that also helps save the world!

1. Consider subscriptions for your dental care products.

Automatically setting up renewable subscriptions to have your dental care products delivered to you provides so many zero-waste solutions. It means that you are not only reducing the number of receipts and packaging you go through, but you are working with brands who know exactly when it is time to switch out your toothbrush or re-fill your mouthwash. And if you aren’t quite ready for the next batch, you can just put your subscription on hold a bit longer. Best of all, companies like Coral Toothpaste offer a nice discount for subscribing versus going a one time purchase. All you have to do is select the Subscribe & Save option when adding the product to your cart!

2. Avoid plastic toothbrushes.

Just like plastic toothpaste bottles, plastic toothbrushes sit by the billions in landfills around the world. There are eco-friendly alternatives, like our bamboo toothbrushes, that naturally decompose when you are ready to swap out for a new toothbrush (which you should be doing regularly because of all the germs and bacteria that can grow in the bristles over time!). These toothbrushes are still designed to provide the best care for your teeth and gums, but also help reduce the waste this planet is stockpiling on.

3. Get eco-friendly floss.

Did you know that floss is one of the most harmful pieces of trash to marine life? Often used floss ends up in the ocean and animals mistake it for food. Luckily, there are zero-waste floss options that include biodegradable floss and even these cool inventions called water picks, which floss your teeth with just water! Now you can floss your teeth and know that all the animals you love will be safe thanks to your small change in how you go about doing this everyday task.

4. Leave the water off. 

This one is so simple, but often one of the most overlooked things when it comes to being more eco-friendly and living a zero-waste life. The average person leaves the sink running while they brush their teeth for two minutes. But that water is not serving any purpose at all during that time! So basically we are all wasting two-minutes’ worth of water, which adds up on a daily basis to a lot of water being wasted! So turn that tap off for those two minutes instead—a simple task with another massive impact.

Clean Teeth, Guilt-Free! 

Our oral hygiene is something we should never compromise on, as it is so important to dictating our overall health. That’s why it’s comforting to know that there are so many great solutions to cleaning our teeth with zero-waste dental hygiene products that don’t leave us feeling guilty about making an negative impact that’s so easy to turn into a positive one. 

Because we all clean our teeth every day, making these small changes to zero-waste dental toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, and floss can have a very big effect on the world. Just think if every single person who cleans their teeth made that same change!

Take that first step towards a healthier mouth and a healthier planet with our Nano Silver Starter Bundle or our Nano Silver Travel Size Bundle!

Sources:

https://www.independent.co.uk/20-pledges/sustainable-toothpaste-colgate

https://www.wellandgood.com/zero-waste-toothpaste/

https://brightly.eco/6-things-to-consider-about-zero-waste-toothpaste/