10 Zero Waste Toothbrush Brands for the Best Smile

I have a dental assistant for a mom so it’s safe to say I know a thing or two about dental care. Growing up, I was taught to always brush my teeth at least twice a day, floss at night, use mouthwash at least once or twice a day, visit the dentist every 6 months. And since switching over to a more zero waste dental routine, that hasn’t changed much. Except now, I don’t use the toothbrushes made entirely from virgin plastic. According to the American Dental Association, one billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away each year in the United States, creating 50 million pounds of waste. Instead, how about using one of these zero waste toothbrush options?

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10 Zero Waste Toothbrush Brands for the Best Smile

Are bamboo toothbrushes zero waste?

Yes, bamboo toothbrushes are zero waste because the natural bamboo handle is 100% biodegradable and compostable. It can be safely added to a compost heap.

Even with non-compostable bristles, bamboo toothbrushes still eliminate 90% of the plastic used in traditional toothbrushes. And this helps reduce a lot of waste. You just snap off the top and compost the rest. Or, using heavy duty pliers, you can remove the bristles and compost the entire handle.

That said, there are certain brands making bamboo toothbrushes with compostable bristles! More on that in a bit.

What’s the most eco-friendly toothbrush?

The most eco-friendly toothbrush is the one you already have. Let me explain: Tossing out a perfectly good toothbrush in favor of a “sustainable” alternative is wasteful. It kind of defeats the point. Instead, use up the one you have, then swap it out for a better option (like the ones listed below).

Ideally, the most eco-friendly toothbrush will be:

• Plastic-free or have a recycled handle
• Biodegradable bristles or bristles made from recycled content
• Packaged thoughtfully, with minimal waste
• From a reputable brand that sources their materials ethically + sustainably. Plus gives back to the environment is a bonus (like being a B corp or a 1% For The Planet member)
• Be closed-loop (offer some kind of recycling or take-back program IF the toothbrush cannot be composted – like Preserve does – more on that later).

Is there a biodegradable toothbrush?

Yes, there are plenty of biodegradable toothbrush options. For starters, bamboo is a great material for most biodegradable toothbrushes, as it’s renewable and water-resistant. Almost all the brands listed below have biodegradable toothbrush handles that can be composted.

Bamboo is an environmentally sustainable material, the world’s fastest naturally renewing resource. It’s anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial making it a perfect choice for a toothbrush.

However, please keep in mind biodegradable isn’t the end-all must-have you may think it is. First up, remember the difference between biodegradable + compostable. An item can be compostable + biodegradable, but just because an item is biodegradable, doesn’t mean it’s compostable.

Instead of solely focusing on biodegradability, we should also consider the impact of the materials in our toothbrushes. Some other sustainable toothbrush options include items made from recycled plastic (Preserve + Radius offer this).

Is there a toothbrush with biodegradable bristles?

Yes, there is a toothbrush with biodegradable bristles. Life Without Plastic sells completely plastic-free toothbrushes with natural bristles. The whole toothbrush can be composted at the end of its life. However, please be aware they are made of thoroughly disinfected boar hair.

Here’s a break down of the kinds of toothbrush bristles you’ll likely encounter:

• Boar bristle toothbrushes: These bristles are the only truly compostable option currently have available. Not exactly a vegan friendly option, but I’ve included one in my list here if you’re interested.
• Castor bean oil: This is a very popular alternative popping up in many zero waste toothbrushes. They’re a a relatively new alternative to nylon bristles. While castor bean (AKA Ricinus communis) is a flowering plant, to transform it into bristles means mixing it with a complex, chemically intensive process. This turns the materials into into nylon-11, and the biodegradability of Nylon 11 is still up in the air. Still, it’s a vegan-friendly alternative and beats straight up virgin plastic most toothbrush bristles use.
• Nylon bristles: Many toothbrushes still use this. Nylon is just another word for plastic. However, some brands are utilizing recycled nylon to make their bristles, which certainly lowers the carbon footprint.

What are the best zero waste toothbrush brands?

The best zero waste toothbrush brands are the ones I’ve listed below! All of these brands check off many of the boxes an ideal sustainable toothbrush would have.

Not only do most of these toothbrushes eliminate or minimize plastic, but many of these brands find other ways to give back to the environment. Even better, some support a fully closed-loop system I fully idolize.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I update this list as time goes on. So make sure to bookmark and pin this post for later!

Image credit: Brush With Bamboo (Instagram: @Brushwithbamboo)

Image credit: Ecoroots (Instagram: @Ecoroots)

Image credit: The Humble Co (Instagram: @Thehumbleco)

Image credit: Huppy (Instagram @Huppy)

Image credit: Zero Waste Store

Image credit: Life Without Plastic

Image credit: Etee

Image credit: Radius (Instagram @madebyradius)

Imade credit: Etee

Image credit: Preserve (Instagram: @Preserveproducts)

What do you think of these zero waste toothbrush options? Which would you try? Let me know in the comments below!

Looking to create a zero waste dental routine? Check out my blog posts about zero waste mouthwash and zero waste toothpaste.

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