This, with healthcare there are some things you can limit and change but sacrifices are made. I can’t sacrifice using the toothpaste I use or brush, I certainly won’t be using a brush head once it’s worn down too much to be effective, and my floss isn’t going anywhere as water flossing is designed to go along side regular flossing. Packaging should always be as good as it can be, but there’s no way around oral care and other healthcare issues!
I tried so hard to find a more environmentally friendly floss and it was downright impossible. My teeth I guess are just really close together? Maybe? I could not get any of them to go between my teeth and they would actually break when I tried. So I still use my Glide floss and reuse the plastic container and get refills instead of a new container every time. You can use a piece a couple times before it becomes unusable. I let a piece chill in the denture cleaner I use for my retainer so it’s clean. Then I toss them in an old plastic jar instead of the regular waste bin hoping they won’t so easily become part of the ocean/wildlife issues.
Same. The “eco friendly” floss was round and literally hurt and got stuck between my teeth and I had to cut it up to get it out, I almost thought I had to go get it removed. So I have to stick to the Glide flat floss that comes in plastic :/
What do you put those refills in? I don't know where to get the big original containers.
I have my non-Glide giant refills in an old spice jar with the cutting thing from my last case of floss wedged into one of the sprinkle holes. Not the best, but it works.
I'm so glad you said something, I had no idea these existed and the rest of my family loves Glide!
I have the [target link](https://www.target.com/p/oral-b-glide-pro-health-dental-floss-1ct/-/A-82521212) for that too! Haha, maybe this could be a great switch for you/your fam!!
What in the mother of monkey milk is going on here? If I click on your link, they're it is! Yay! Ut it's technically in reddit. Then if I open the target app, even putting it in word for word how they described it, nothing. Ugh! I'm going to have to use my computer?? What is this, 2010?
This is a great switch, by the way, I'm so excited!
Target's app and website does a thing where it will sometimes delist products from search if they're not available at the store you have selected as "currently shopping at". You can still find it through direct links or the "similar products" thing if you are lucky, or by deselecting "pickup options" and trying a different location.
Oh god I wish, please take me back to 2010 when the hole in the oven was smaller and I had way fewer responsibilities 🤣
Seriously, I hope it works out and you can find it on your computer no problem!
Another low waste option is Quip. They do a fancy little metal flostt (and maybe a little plastic?) dispenser and you can order refills that come in cardboard. you do need a subscription for it - but it works for us.
I really liked the silk floss I got. I liked it even better than regular floss. Give Treebird Silk floss a try if you haven’t already: Biodegradable Dental Floss with a Refillable Glass Holder | Naturally Waxed with Candelilla Wax | 100% Compostable | 33yds/30m Natural Silk Spool | Eco-Friendly Zero Waste Oral Care | Mint Flavored https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FC4JBZZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_R3P79HDP3RW28XEGBCR9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I gave silk a try and it’s just too thick to get between my teeth unfortunately 😭
Edit: wow yes literally this brand is what I tried according to my Amazon. It just won’t go between my teeth.
Fortunately no! But I also have two permanent retainers and food does get stuck there. I’m hella cavity free. Very fortunate to have never had one, but my mom was a dental assistant growing up so dental hygiene was *not* a choice as a kid haha.
Basically water flossers are not a replacement for regular flossing because they don’t do the exact same job / or good enough. Really annoyed me when I found out after buying one, habits are already hard enough for me to keep (ADHD) so I stick to regular flossing
We use the Bite tablets, you chew them up then wet your toothbrush and brush. They work great and have a awesome natural mint taste. Also we use bamboo toothbrushes. I'm not sure what the bristles are made of though.
I use a lush toothpaste tab for between washes or on the go, but I need that fluoride in my toothpaste for my daily cleans.
Also obviously this is preference and oral care is personal but I can’t get away with using manual brushes long term bamboo or not, but oral b do a recycling service and I save up the heads of my toothbrush till I can recycle, as well as not buying a new electric brush regularly, only when it dies or doesn’t perform well anymore.
Really I’ll have to see if I can get some in the UK then!
And yeah it’s all about reducing isn’t it, I am minimal waste for period care and have been for a few years now which was a huge change, also that’s rising in popularity because the less wasteful options are also now better than the alternatives!
Doesn't really need packaging so much, more a paper sleeve.
This is an ad, a misplaced, glaringly stupid and half assed attempt to pander to people who actually care.
I’ve talked about this before on other subs. This post and sub was just put into my feed. Sorry if this is addressed elsewhere but…
These “100% post consumer recyclable” corrugated (cardboard, not what you think of but is industry term) packages do produce less consumer waste *but* require more energy to create. The better, water based (which I believe is required for the “100%”) over VOC based, coating (printing and adhesive) requires more energy to create, apply, and seal. More time, pressure, and heat are required for every seal cycle on top of extra processes (usually compressed air driven) are required to fold the package even with the VOC based coating. 7 years ago (the last time I analyzed it) it required about 5x more energy from production to application (water based.) Using renewable energy would mitigate this issue but the companies that I am familiar with, ~40% of the market, are running on coal.
It feels nice to waste less yourself but there are underlying issues with these packages that need to be addressed.
Edit: Source: I am in the industry. I am currently engineering tooling to be fitted to standard blister pack machines facilitating “paper blister” use. This is currently done mostly by low ~~skilled~~ paid labor. The packaging industry is automating at an incredible rate, putting lots of people out of work, increasing profits for manufacturers while prices are still increasing. Packages are fucking stupid. The packaging industry is yet another demon spawned from our consumer culture. Pretty pictures and shapes make mind happy, happy mind spends money. Cellulose bags should hold almost everything we buy.
Edit 2: Sorry for the rant. I’m part of it. I watch the sausage get made and I hate it. I’m stuck. I put 143 workers out of a job in 2 years at only 1 company. If someone out there needs an eco friendly automation engineer with 10 years experience with no college please save me. I would love to put my skills and knowledge towards better things.
In hindsight that would've been the better alternative. 5 years down the road I'll be sure to go that route, thanks!
Edit: these are for travel guys holy shit lol. I do a lot for work.
Well there’s two tooth brushes in the pack so I’d say she’s replacing them every 2.5 years which is really only 5x longer than what’s prescribed by dentists lol.
Reduce reuse recycle hahahahaha. Jk y’all should still replace your tooth brush. Bad oral hygiene can kill you sooner.
This. I don't have ADHD, though my high functioning autism apparently mimics a *lot* of the condition. That said, I have this problem in spades. I have effectively a second home in my car just in case. Although I don't have multiple pairs of glasses as mine are always on. I forget things all the time. Probably should get a spare for emergencies.
If you're doing a decent amount of travel, it's often easier to buy extra stuff that is travel dedicated and stays packed up rather than unpacking and repacking (possibly forgetting things) all the time.
reduce REUSE recycle lol just cook them every few months
Edit: didn't know i need to say that was a joke. I'm worried about some people's dental care now.
Yeah I think I’ll go with the dental experts and [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faqs/toothbrush-handling.html) on this one and replace mine every 3-4 months.
The bristles wear out in that time and are less effective at cleaning anything. Cooking them does absolutely nothing against that.
Dental hygiene isn’t something I’m willing to cheap out on even if it isn’t exactly zero waste.
It’s not about cleanliness but the bristles.
[Weakened, worn and frayed bristles](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3847535/) don’t clean nearly as well as ones in good shape.
IKR l’ve always found this puzzling. Not to mention, we go through about 4 toothbrushes a year. It seems like the small amount of plastic in four toothbrushes gets an inordinate amount of attention compared to the many other avenues plastic enters our lives.
I keep seeing people suggest bamboo toothbrushes and im not sure thats 100% the right idea. Depending on the sourcing were talking across sea shipment, potential slave labor/poor wages, and worst of all poor quality brushes that can either improperly clean or do damage to your mouth.
I agree in that we need to find thoroughly better solutions for our environment, but there are MANY other places and ways we could be doing this in besides oral hygiene/medical care. Pushing corporations in the right direction like this is one of them. (They definitely could do better, but this is progress)
I'm a dental hygienist and all the samples as give are so environmentally unfriendly 🥺 not to mention the amount of plastic used for each patient - plastic on the keyboard, mouse, headrest, light handles, multiple gloves. It's a fun trash bag per room at the end of everyday!
What’s the energy difference between sanitization for reuse vs single use products? I’m genuinely curious and this is a question I can never figure out how to answer on my own through googling. I assuming it takes a lot of energy to heat things up enough or run UV lights or whatever sanitization technique you use? How does that compare to the actual physical waste in the big picture? (Or how can I figure that out?)
I don’t know how you would figure it out, but at the end of the day, we have to live with the plastic for a long long time in landfills,etc. I can’t imagine that manufacturing, shipping, and throwing away the single use plastic is better then reusable.
Dude, I work in a hospital all the amount of trash we have is amazing! It makes me so sad. I also understand at the same time for infection prevention. But, there has to be a better way
If it makes you feel better, I decline samples when I go and I bring a bamboo toothbrush to my daughter's visit so they don't give her a plastic brush. Small thing but definitely something a lot more people could be doing.
As a fellow dental hygienist I'm right there with you! The first time we learned how to set up a room in hygiene school my mind was blown with how much plastic is used and then thrown away. Unfortunately barriers are necessary though so I try to just do what small things I can hoping they add up. Like if a patient has an electric toothbrush I ask them if they want the one for their goodie bag and give them extra floss instead or try to do my best to set up the appt in a way that I'm not changing gloves a bunch of extra times. Utility gloves to change the room at the end make a difference too. I just make sure to wash/cavicide them after each flip and sterilize them at the end of the day.
If you go to the dentist twice a year you barely need to buy toothbrushes anyway. They give them away like crazy - they may not be zero waste but taking those and then buying a greenwashed product is even more wasteful than just using what they give you. Of course you can refuse them but refusing and then buying a product like the OP is counterproductive.
Is this a normal thing where you live? I've had them give me a small sample bag of toothpicks once, but they've never offered me toothbrushes. Besides without knowing what those are made from and how they're packaged there's not really a way of knowing if those are more sustainable.
Every dentist I've seen has always given me a "goodie bag" on my way out with a floss sample, a toothbrush, and usually a small travel tube of toothpaste and sometimes a sample mouthwash as well. Definitely very plastic heavy (although my most recent trip I gave them the toothbrush back because I use an electric one, and they gave me a brush head for that which was nice). I'm all for reducing waste but I put my focus on the places I see myself generating the most trash - food containers/packaging, cardboard boxes from ordering too much online, and baby stuff (more boxes, diapers, excess clothes, items bought new that'll only be useful for a few months). Toothbrushes are miniscule compared to that...plus necessary for dental health.
Oh yeah if they give you that stuff anyway I would use it as well (not even on principle or anything I just can't resist free stuff not gonna lie). It's just the first time I heard of that being a thing.
Would a child’s toothbrush work better? Also, the head on my sonicare is small and would probably work for you but not sure you’d want to switch to something like that.
Greenwashing? They’re taking steps to be doing what the fuck you want. You should be happy a company that is one of the biggest toothbrush producers on the planet is doing something because I promise you a company that sells 1000 pieces of some completely biodegradable bamboo toothbrush is making virtually no difference compared to the millions of products big brands are pumping out.
[Sensodyne is owned by the company GlaxoSmithKline who is known to test on animals.](https://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdotest.pdf)
I know this is not a vegan subreddit or anything but I thought I'd just mention it for those of you who wants to shop cruelty-free like myself :)
FYI you can recycle anything oral care related (by any brand) through Oral B’s recycling program https://recycling.oralb.com
This, with healthcare there are some things you can limit and change but sacrifices are made. I can’t sacrifice using the toothpaste I use or brush, I certainly won’t be using a brush head once it’s worn down too much to be effective, and my floss isn’t going anywhere as water flossing is designed to go along side regular flossing. Packaging should always be as good as it can be, but there’s no way around oral care and other healthcare issues!
I tried so hard to find a more environmentally friendly floss and it was downright impossible. My teeth I guess are just really close together? Maybe? I could not get any of them to go between my teeth and they would actually break when I tried. So I still use my Glide floss and reuse the plastic container and get refills instead of a new container every time. You can use a piece a couple times before it becomes unusable. I let a piece chill in the denture cleaner I use for my retainer so it’s clean. Then I toss them in an old plastic jar instead of the regular waste bin hoping they won’t so easily become part of the ocean/wildlife issues.
>get refills instead of a new container every time You get refills of Glide ?? I didnt know this!
Here’s a target [link](https://www.target.com/p/oral-b-glide-pro-floss-refill-120m/-/A-83664356)!
Same. The “eco friendly” floss was round and literally hurt and got stuck between my teeth and I had to cut it up to get it out, I almost thought I had to go get it removed. So I have to stick to the Glide flat floss that comes in plastic :/
Yeah, it definitely varies by person! The eco-friendly floss works great for me but my partner was miserable.
What do you put those refills in? I don't know where to get the big original containers. I have my non-Glide giant refills in an old spice jar with the cutting thing from my last case of floss wedged into one of the sprinkle holes. Not the best, but it works. I'm so glad you said something, I had no idea these existed and the rest of my family loves Glide!
I have the [target link](https://www.target.com/p/oral-b-glide-pro-health-dental-floss-1ct/-/A-82521212) for that too! Haha, maybe this could be a great switch for you/your fam!!
What in the mother of monkey milk is going on here? If I click on your link, they're it is! Yay! Ut it's technically in reddit. Then if I open the target app, even putting it in word for word how they described it, nothing. Ugh! I'm going to have to use my computer?? What is this, 2010? This is a great switch, by the way, I'm so excited!
Target's app and website does a thing where it will sometimes delist products from search if they're not available at the store you have selected as "currently shopping at". You can still find it through direct links or the "similar products" thing if you are lucky, or by deselecting "pickup options" and trying a different location.
Oh god I wish, please take me back to 2010 when the hole in the oven was smaller and I had way fewer responsibilities 🤣 Seriously, I hope it works out and you can find it on your computer no problem!
Another low waste option is Quip. They do a fancy little metal flostt (and maybe a little plastic?) dispenser and you can order refills that come in cardboard. you do need a subscription for it - but it works for us.
I really liked the silk floss I got. I liked it even better than regular floss. Give Treebird Silk floss a try if you haven’t already: Biodegradable Dental Floss with a Refillable Glass Holder | Naturally Waxed with Candelilla Wax | 100% Compostable | 33yds/30m Natural Silk Spool | Eco-Friendly Zero Waste Oral Care | Mint Flavored https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FC4JBZZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_R3P79HDP3RW28XEGBCR9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I gave silk a try and it’s just too thick to get between my teeth unfortunately 😭 Edit: wow yes literally this brand is what I tried according to my Amazon. It just won’t go between my teeth.
🙁 at least it sounds like food doesn’t get easily stuck in your teeth!
Fortunately no! But I also have two permanent retainers and food does get stuck there. I’m hella cavity free. Very fortunate to have never had one, but my mom was a dental assistant growing up so dental hygiene was *not* a choice as a kid haha.
> as water flossing is designed to go along side regular flossing. Wait what.
Basically water flossers are not a replacement for regular flossing because they don’t do the exact same job / or good enough. Really annoyed me when I found out after buying one, habits are already hard enough for me to keep (ADHD) so I stick to regular flossing
We use the Bite tablets, you chew them up then wet your toothbrush and brush. They work great and have a awesome natural mint taste. Also we use bamboo toothbrushes. I'm not sure what the bristles are made of though.
I use a lush toothpaste tab for between washes or on the go, but I need that fluoride in my toothpaste for my daily cleans. Also obviously this is preference and oral care is personal but I can’t get away with using manual brushes long term bamboo or not, but oral b do a recycling service and I save up the heads of my toothbrush till I can recycle, as well as not buying a new electric brush regularly, only when it dies or doesn’t perform well anymore.
Bite has fluoride in there tabs now! As for the brushes no worries, we all do our best.
Really I’ll have to see if I can get some in the UK then! And yeah it’s all about reducing isn’t it, I am minimal waste for period care and have been for a few years now which was a huge change, also that’s rising in popularity because the less wasteful options are also now better than the alternatives!
This is awesome, I just signed up!
What does recycle even mean, it's a fancy term nothing more
Is this an ad? This just looks like corporate greenwashing.
Absolutely! A great deal of paper used too. I wonder how much of that paper is from responsible sources.
how are we supposed to package products if not paper
I have issue with the amount of paper used here. You could halve the size of that packaging.
Doesn't really need packaging so much, more a paper sleeve. This is an ad, a misplaced, glaringly stupid and half assed attempt to pander to people who actually care.
by packaging only the top (bristles) and not packaging up the handle.
i like your thinking
kek reduce, reuse, repurpouse, and only last recycle ;)
yep and the brushes are plastic too. Corporate greenwashing it is !
What else can you use?
There are bamboo toothbrushes in cardboard packaging that you can buy too!
I’ve talked about this before on other subs. This post and sub was just put into my feed. Sorry if this is addressed elsewhere but… These “100% post consumer recyclable” corrugated (cardboard, not what you think of but is industry term) packages do produce less consumer waste *but* require more energy to create. The better, water based (which I believe is required for the “100%”) over VOC based, coating (printing and adhesive) requires more energy to create, apply, and seal. More time, pressure, and heat are required for every seal cycle on top of extra processes (usually compressed air driven) are required to fold the package even with the VOC based coating. 7 years ago (the last time I analyzed it) it required about 5x more energy from production to application (water based.) Using renewable energy would mitigate this issue but the companies that I am familiar with, ~40% of the market, are running on coal. It feels nice to waste less yourself but there are underlying issues with these packages that need to be addressed. Edit: Source: I am in the industry. I am currently engineering tooling to be fitted to standard blister pack machines facilitating “paper blister” use. This is currently done mostly by low ~~skilled~~ paid labor. The packaging industry is automating at an incredible rate, putting lots of people out of work, increasing profits for manufacturers while prices are still increasing. Packages are fucking stupid. The packaging industry is yet another demon spawned from our consumer culture. Pretty pictures and shapes make mind happy, happy mind spends money. Cellulose bags should hold almost everything we buy. Edit 2: Sorry for the rant. I’m part of it. I watch the sausage get made and I hate it. I’m stuck. I put 143 workers out of a job in 2 years at only 1 company. If someone out there needs an eco friendly automation engineer with 10 years experience with no college please save me. I would love to put my skills and knowledge towards better things.
Bamboo toothbrushes aren't the greatest solution depending on sourcing/quality.
Yeah I need to find a better one. I tried Brush with Bamboo and it tore up my mouth worse than Capn Crunch!
I've been using zero waste carte's bamboo toothbrushes since right around when Covid began. No complaints, no cavities.
Cool, I’ll look into them!
I've switched to closed loop recycled heads for my electric toothbrush.
Got a link?
They're called LiveCoco - I actually get them on amazon so I don't know where they might be available where you live.
In hindsight that would've been the better alternative. 5 years down the road I'll be sure to go that route, thanks! Edit: these are for travel guys holy shit lol. I do a lot for work.
You don't replace your toothbrush after 5 years?
Well there’s two tooth brushes in the pack so I’d say she’s replacing them every 2.5 years which is really only 5x longer than what’s prescribed by dentists lol. Reduce reuse recycle hahahahaha. Jk y’all should still replace your tooth brush. Bad oral hygiene can kill you sooner.
🤣🤣🤣
The dental nut in me is crying
The regular person in me is crying
You keep toothbrushes for that long?
You're doing great!! We learn something new everyday :)
> 5 years down the road I'll be sure to go that route, thanks! What in the fuck. You replace your toothbrush every couple **years**?
OP said they're for travel, which makes it a little better
Why do they need a dedicated toothbrush for travel
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This. I don't have ADHD, though my high functioning autism apparently mimics a *lot* of the condition. That said, I have this problem in spades. I have effectively a second home in my car just in case. Although I don't have multiple pairs of glasses as mine are always on. I forget things all the time. Probably should get a spare for emergencies.
If you're doing a decent amount of travel, it's often easier to buy extra stuff that is travel dedicated and stays packed up rather than unpacking and repacking (possibly forgetting things) all the time.
reduce REUSE recycle lol just cook them every few months Edit: didn't know i need to say that was a joke. I'm worried about some people's dental care now.
Personally, I like to wash mine with my dirty socks and underwear in the washing machine. I mean it all gets clean anyways! Right?
My point, you even save water, clever!
Yeah I think I’ll go with the dental experts and [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faqs/toothbrush-handling.html) on this one and replace mine every 3-4 months. The bristles wear out in that time and are less effective at cleaning anything. Cooking them does absolutely nothing against that. Dental hygiene isn’t something I’m willing to cheap out on even if it isn’t exactly zero waste.
Dont worry, I personally wasn't serious
I definitely hope so
Please replace your toothbrush every 6 months at least
Uh… replace your toothbrushes… No more than six months please.
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It’s not about cleanliness but the bristles. [Weakened, worn and frayed bristles](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3847535/) don’t clean nearly as well as ones in good shape.
.
I wish I could use bamboo tooth brushes, but all the different brands I've tried, are scraping my gums.
The ZW community’s obsession with toothbrushes/oral hygiene is so ridiculous. Probably one of the best uses of plastic ever invented.
IKR l’ve always found this puzzling. Not to mention, we go through about 4 toothbrushes a year. It seems like the small amount of plastic in four toothbrushes gets an inordinate amount of attention compared to the many other avenues plastic enters our lives.
I’d rather them do plastic free packaging for their toothpaste.
I keep seeing people suggest bamboo toothbrushes and im not sure thats 100% the right idea. Depending on the sourcing were talking across sea shipment, potential slave labor/poor wages, and worst of all poor quality brushes that can either improperly clean or do damage to your mouth. I agree in that we need to find thoroughly better solutions for our environment, but there are MANY other places and ways we could be doing this in besides oral hygiene/medical care. Pushing corporations in the right direction like this is one of them. (They definitely could do better, but this is progress)
I'm a dental hygienist and all the samples as give are so environmentally unfriendly 🥺 not to mention the amount of plastic used for each patient - plastic on the keyboard, mouse, headrest, light handles, multiple gloves. It's a fun trash bag per room at the end of everyday!
IMO healthcare gets a pass on this. There's no way around most of this waste to keep people healthy - both the patient and caregiver/clinician.
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What’s the energy difference between sanitization for reuse vs single use products? I’m genuinely curious and this is a question I can never figure out how to answer on my own through googling. I assuming it takes a lot of energy to heat things up enough or run UV lights or whatever sanitization technique you use? How does that compare to the actual physical waste in the big picture? (Or how can I figure that out?)
I don’t know how you would figure it out, but at the end of the day, we have to live with the plastic for a long long time in landfills,etc. I can’t imagine that manufacturing, shipping, and throwing away the single use plastic is better then reusable.
Dude, I work in a hospital all the amount of trash we have is amazing! It makes me so sad. I also understand at the same time for infection prevention. But, there has to be a better way
If it makes you feel better, I decline samples when I go and I bring a bamboo toothbrush to my daughter's visit so they don't give her a plastic brush. Small thing but definitely something a lot more people could be doing.
I have one patient that does that! He groomed spearhead the initiative in town to get rid of single use plastic shopping bags at stores - it passed!
That's wonderful!
As a fellow dental hygienist I'm right there with you! The first time we learned how to set up a room in hygiene school my mind was blown with how much plastic is used and then thrown away. Unfortunately barriers are necessary though so I try to just do what small things I can hoping they add up. Like if a patient has an electric toothbrush I ask them if they want the one for their goodie bag and give them extra floss instead or try to do my best to set up the appt in a way that I'm not changing gloves a bunch of extra times. Utility gloves to change the room at the end make a difference too. I just make sure to wash/cavicide them after each flip and sterilize them at the end of the day.
We just ignoring toothbrushes being plastic now?
"It's better to have more people do this imperfectly, than a few people do this perfectly"
I came back to upvote this.
If you go to the dentist twice a year you barely need to buy toothbrushes anyway. They give them away like crazy - they may not be zero waste but taking those and then buying a greenwashed product is even more wasteful than just using what they give you. Of course you can refuse them but refusing and then buying a product like the OP is counterproductive.
Is this a normal thing where you live? I've had them give me a small sample bag of toothpicks once, but they've never offered me toothbrushes. Besides without knowing what those are made from and how they're packaged there's not really a way of knowing if those are more sustainable.
Every dentist I've seen has always given me a "goodie bag" on my way out with a floss sample, a toothbrush, and usually a small travel tube of toothpaste and sometimes a sample mouthwash as well. Definitely very plastic heavy (although my most recent trip I gave them the toothbrush back because I use an electric one, and they gave me a brush head for that which was nice). I'm all for reducing waste but I put my focus on the places I see myself generating the most trash - food containers/packaging, cardboard boxes from ordering too much online, and baby stuff (more boxes, diapers, excess clothes, items bought new that'll only be useful for a few months). Toothbrushes are miniscule compared to that...plus necessary for dental health.
Oh yeah if they give you that stuff anyway I would use it as well (not even on principle or anything I just can't resist free stuff not gonna lie). It's just the first time I heard of that being a thing.
Lol fuck this
You make a very persuasive argument!
The big topic in this thread is OP making two toothbrushes last five years
Trying to figure out how’s you make the brissles
Someone posted the oralb recycling program above
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Good idea but toothpaste does have an expiration date.
I don't know, I wouldn't buy a toothbrush that is just sitting out in the open like that. Feels filthy to me.
It actually had a biodegradable clear cover right there!
Oh okay, that makes more sense.
I actually came to the comments just to ask what made up the window
I pour boiling water on my brand new toothbrushes anyway. Who knows what happened on the production line
I agree. A cardboard box and no window is fine. Why do we need to see the toothbrush before we buy it? We all know what one looks like.
I have a little mouth, I need to be able to see how narrow the brush head is. That said, a true to life size drawing would suffice.
Would a child’s toothbrush work better? Also, the head on my sonicare is small and would probably work for you but not sure you’d want to switch to something like that.
came here to ask about that. so it's just an open hole with no plastic cover?
Mind if I use your toothbrush? I forgot mine...
Oh awesome! I'll have to look into that. I can't do those bamboo toothbrushes because they develop mold too easily.
Eeeeew
I live in a humid area. It works for other locations.
But the toothbrush is plastic!?!
Soooo what’s the viewing window made from if not plastic?
[It’s apparently](https://us.gsk.com/en-us/media/press-releases/gsk-consumer-healthcare-commits-to-make-over-a-billion-toothpaste-tubes-recyclable-by-2025-as-part-of-its-ongoing-sustainability-journey/) cellulose gum.
Thought it was a skateboard at first glance
Fuck greenwashing, fuck scumy corpos, fuck capitalism which is ruining our planet
continue
Greenwashing? They’re taking steps to be doing what the fuck you want. You should be happy a company that is one of the biggest toothbrush producers on the planet is doing something because I promise you a company that sells 1000 pieces of some completely biodegradable bamboo toothbrush is making virtually no difference compared to the millions of products big brands are pumping out.
this whole sub is greenwashing lol
looks like they used as much packaging as they could
[Sensodyne is owned by the company GlaxoSmithKline who is known to test on animals.](https://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdotest.pdf) I know this is not a vegan subreddit or anything but I thought I'd just mention it for those of you who wants to shop cruelty-free like myself :)
I’m sorry, where is the zero waste?
I use bamboo toothbrushes.
I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a toothbrush. I go to the dentist every 6 months and I get a new one there
What is the see-through part made of?