In the United States alone, approximately 50 million pounds of toothbrushes (1 billion toothbrushes) are added to landfills annually. Most toothbrushes are made up of polypropylene plastic and nylon which come from non-renewable fossil fuels. Although these are recyclable it is estimated that only 20% of avid recyclers put their old toothbrush into the recycling, most of us simply throw it in the bin, where it either sits in landfill or ends up in an Ocean gyre.

There are several biodegradable, largely bamboo, toothbrushes available, and as these brushes become more of a demand, eventually there should be even more commonly available, and at a reasonable price. However even these are not 100% biodegradable. At the moment the only bristles that are 100% biodegradable are derived from pig hair. For those who eat meat, this option may be OK for those who want to avoid animal products, currently there are no options. However, if you leave the head of your old toothbrush in a mug with boiling water, the bristles will fall off the head and the bristles are recyclable; the base compostable.

There are ways to clean your teeth without a toothbrush in order to maintain a zerowaste lifestyle:

1. Water – pour a glass of water, take a mouthful and swish it in your mouth. When you spit it out, it should take most of the plague with it.
2. Paper Towel – wrap a piece of paper towel around your finger and wet it, add some toothpaste, and simply brush it across your teeth.
a. If using a natural toothpaste, this can then be thrown into the compost
3. Strawberries and Tomatoes – both of these fruit are high in Vitamin C and good for oral health. Rubbing some all over your teeth, letting it sit for 5 minutes and then rinsing with warm water will remove plague and clean the teeth. This method will work with most fruits high in vitamin C.
4. Oil Pulling – put a teaspoon of oil in your mouth (many will argue sesame or coconut oil are the best but this works with olive oil too), and swill it around for a minute. This will remove toxins from your mouth and clean your teeth.
5. Baking Soda – before toothpaste people would clean their teeth with baking soda. Make a paste with baking soda and water, apply it to your teeth and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. The rinse with warm water
6. Use a Twig – a technique used or thousands of years and it is still commonly used as a method by campers and those getting back to nature, find a green twig and clean it off the best you can. Oak and Arak are the most commonly used twigs, as their bark contains an antibiotic that suppresses bacteria growth. The next step is just to start gnawing away at the twig and brushing the bristles across your teeth.

For those who still wish to use a convenient, inexpensive plastic brush please remember that it can be recycled. There are also other uses for that old brush before recycling it.
1. It can be used to clean – the small toothbrush head is a good size for cleaning grout or hard to reach areas between appliances – under the fridge or beside the stove.
2. Cleaning nails – the nylon bristles are very handy at getting under your nails and bringing dirt to the surface. Brushing your fingernails (or toenails), with an old, clean toothbrush will pull the dirt out from under the nail and then simply washing your hands with warm water will keep hands clean.
Reducing and reusing waste should come before recycling.

Dentists will tell you that there is no real substitute for brushing and regular check-ups, so the best option may be to use a more eco-friendly toothbrush and visit your dentist every 6 months, but some of these alternatives may be right for your dental concerns. The advice here is to talk to your dentist as baking soda can be too abrasive for some, and some people have allergies to other ingredients listed above.