Why you should choose bamboo next time you buy a toothbrush
Most of us will have used a plastic toothbrush every day since we were a few months old without giving it a second thought. That’s a lot of toothbrushes being thrown away. And if you multiply that by the number of people in your family, in your town or in your country that’s an incredible amount of plastic waste ending up in the bin.
In recent years we have all become more aware of the impact our everyday choices have on the environment and switching to an eco friendly toothbrush is a simple way to reduce your plastic waste.
So, why choose a bamboo toothbrush?
Bamboo is a sustainable and renewable resource.
Bamboo grows quickly and without the need for chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Some species grow up to 1m a day. And because it’s a plant it is completely bio-degradable. Plastic, by comparison, is made from non-renewable oil, requires high amounts of energy to process and takes 100’s of years to break down.
Once you have finished with your toothbrush simply remove the bristles (if they are made of nylon) and put the handle in your garden compost or in with your food waste.
There are also plenty of ways you can reuse your toothbrush before you get to this point. They are great for cleaning grout in the bathroom, scrubbing fiddly items in the kitchen or using as plant markers in the garden. You could even get creative and use them in your next arts and crafts project.
Naturally antibacterial for great oral hygiene
As well as being good for the environment bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial. Arguably this makes it a better material than plastic for using as a toothbrush in terms of oral hygiene as well as sustainability.
The majority of bamboo toothbrushes use nylon bristles as these are most effective for cleaning your teeth. And no matter how much you want to protect the planet oral hygiene comes first. However nylon content can be as low as 10% combined with other natural materials such as charcoal and castor oil. And some companies have even made completely petroleum-free bristles.
Choose the carbonised bristles and microparticles of active charcoal help whiten teeth and disinfect the mouth while you brush.
Effortless bathroom style
Ok, so it’s probably not your primary reason for wanting to make the switch, but you can’t deny that a stylish bamboo toothbrush looks better in your bathroom that a plastic one. You can still get different coloured handles so they are easy to identify which brush belongs to who.
In conclusion choosing bamboo is an easy bathroom switch. How long does a bamboo toothbrush last? They last just as long, perform just as well and are better for the planet than plastic toothbrushes.
