Mouth Care
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TOOTHBRUSH
How many times per year do you change out your tooth brush? It is recommended to change your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Sadly these are non-recyclable, plastic items that end up in the landfill for eternity.
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A simple alternative to plastic toothbrushes is using toothbrushes made of bamboo and other compostable materials.
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There are many types of eco-friendly, non-plastic toothbrushes on the market.
Generation Green sells them here in Winnipeg or you can search online at well.ca.
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DENTAL FLOSS
Dental floss is another offender when it comes to plastic (typically made from nylon or Teflon). It will not degrade. The packaging and the floss is plastic! Or there are those plastic tooth flossers or tooth picks that are also plastic!
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There is a quick fix, switch to using:
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Eco Dent Gentle Floss
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TOOTHPASTE
Toothpaste is another plastic culprit as the bottle, lid and wrapping are typically plastic. Be conscious of what the packaging is as well as to what is in the toothpaste.
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Microbeads were introduced into toothpaste to help “clean teeth,” however the microbeads have created problems world-wide and Canada is banning any product with microbeads beginning in 2018! Way to go Canada! Microbeads are tiny plastic balls that get into our water system or into our bodies and are not good for our health or the food chain.
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Make your own. There are various recipes online depending what you want out of your toothpaste.
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Brush without tooth paste
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MOUTH WASH
Make your own (Recipes from Chasing Green):
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Baking Soda Mouthwash:
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2 ounces of water
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¼ teaspoon of baking soda
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1 drop of pure peppermint oil
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1 drop of tea tree oil
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a reusable glass container
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Herbal Antibacterial Mouthwash:
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First place 1 ounce of cloves or powdered myrrh or 2 to 4 ounces of goldenseal or rosemary in a pint-sized jar.
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Pour boiling water over the top of the herbs.
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Let the contents steep overnight and then strain!
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