A sweet tooth for sustainability 

The average person spends 38.5 total days brushing their teeth over a lifetime. That’s dedication, and for good reason - our oral health links directly to digestion, gut microbiome, health and blood health, and even brain function! Scrubbing teeth is considered an act of basic hygiene, as essential as washing our hands or wearing clean clothes. In fact, according to a 2003 MIT study, toothbrushes rank higher than vehicles or cell phones in a list of “items I can’t live without.” Since tooth brushing is a high priority on everyone’s daily schedule, our oral care products have a profound impact on the planet. 

Our landfills teem with the carcasses of oral care products. In the US alone, over 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown out each year, enough to circumnavigate the globe four times over. A huge portion of our dental garbage ends up in the ocean, a major threat to marine and birdlife. Toothpaste tubes, floss and floss pots, mouthwash bottles, and other oral care byproducts are sneaky culprits in ecological damage. It’s hard to imagine when we measure by our minute personal drugstore purchases, but the planet trembles under the weight of that Listerine bottle.

We’re here to help you cut your teeth on sustainability. You can reduce waste and improve your smile at the same time! 

To green your routine, first, recycle your current products. Send your oral care products and packaging to Terracycle, an organization dedicated to waste elimination. 

Then, instead of reaching for mouthwash after your morning coffee, neutralize odours with a saltwater rinse. 

Better yet, treat yourself and use Gaia Smiles remineralizing tooth powder as a mouthwash! Refill your toothpowder jar at Our Footprints Co., a zero-waste way to keep your smile bright. 

To further freshen your breath (and give welcome attention to your body’s hardest-working muscle), ditch the plastic and choose a copper tongue scraper. 

Just as every little bit of plastic contributes to eco-distress, every little step toward sustainability makes a positive difference. Shift your oral care habits today, and Mother Earth will smile with you.