Christmas is coming, so my mind is turning to stocking stuffers: growing up, that always meant new toothbrushes. Now that my kids are adults, the only one who still gets toothbrushes is my daughter, as she goes through them at an alarming rate.
The problem is that toothbrushes are generally made of non-recyclable plastic. I have tried bamboo and wooden brushes but they don’t have as many options to achieve the perfect plaque-removing brush.
I did find a good dental floss in a refillable container, but by the time I needed a refill, they were no longer sold except via Amazon and I’m not ready to do that yet.
It’s a very first world problem, but it’s hard to be a good environmentalist when I can’t even get the little things right..
I admit that when it comes to my dental health, I am an environmental disaster, having given up on all the efforts I was trying to make to be light-footprinted and have healthy teeth and gums.
We were on a tour once that took us to beautiful places, but made sure we also saw the heaps of plastic right around the corner. Ugh. And one of the leaders said that after these tours he found himself thinking of all his toothbrushes…I have been overusing each toothbrush ever since.
Floss, though: I have found two that relieve my guilt a bit: Coco Floss, and DrTung’s. Coco Floss lets you reuse the dispenser; DrTung’s come in cardboard dispensers. Both have their own websites. Like you, I prefer to stay away from Amazon.
I have no interest, other than that of an environmental advocate and happy user, in either of these products. I can add, though, that while I found flossing regularly (which I discovered when old enough I’d be embarrassed to admit it) to be a life-changing habit, I found both of these to offer another step up in satisfaction. They are thicker than the usual brands, and do an amazing job. Now I always travel with at least one spare. I just don’t like days when I can’t get at them!