The easiest way to move into a greener beauty practice? Start with your mouth! When I started paying attention, I couldn’t believe the amount of unnecessary plastic that is used to care for our teeth, gums and breath. Here’s some of my recommendations to help you go zero-waste or at least plastic-free in the oral health department.
FLOSS One of my proudest eco moments was years ago when I discovered a swap for conventional floss. Those little plastic containers just seemed so completely wasteful and unnecessary to me; they just screamed, “landfill!” The good news is that there’s lots of companies making eco floss now, but if you’re like me and like to purchase from small businesses when you can, check out the many flosses here. I purchased one with the glass tube ages ago and now I just re-order refills. I also have this floss which is housed in paper packaging that can be recycled. Please check your ingredients, too, as some conventional flosses have questionable ingredients; just see what makes sense for you. I also love this company for ALL things zero waste in terms of floss, shampoo, kitchen and more.
TOOTHBRUSHES How about we make a pledge to only use eco toothbrushes so that there’ll be no more plastic ones washing up on our shores, okay? A new company that just came across my desk is Juni Essentials. This company is really committed to the environment and they make thee lightest and smoothest sustainable toothbrushes out of bamboo. Their bamboo is harvested in impoverished rural areas of South East Asia (which I’m sure helps the local workers support themselves and their families). Why choose bamboo for toothbrushes? Bamboo is super sustainable because it grows quickly (much faster than wood), pesticides are not needed and it’s super strong, yet very light, too. Their bristles are a perfect medium – not too soft, not too hard. Juni’s brushes have been created by dentists and engineers, it’s water-resistant, has PBT bristles and, big bonus here…comes in plastic-free packaging. Support small biz, friends! Oh and they are also a member of 1% for the Planet, so let’s support them.
TOOTHPASTE + MOUTHWASH I honestly haven’t used plastic-packaged toothpaste in years. There’s just so many options out there now that it’s a no-brainer. In terms of toothpaste, if you love a paste, I recommend this. The tube is recyclable, the brand is made in the USA and it comes with its own squeezer. Take 10% off with code: GPJ. I also love the different flavors they have: peppermint, charcoal, citrus + peppermint and spearmint. If you’re wanting to do zero waste toothpaste tablets (so easy for travel), I recommend checking out the different options here or small businesses here. In terms of mouthwash, I say go for the tablets or crystals as they’re easy, light, excellent for the environment and pretty cool. These mouthwash tablets come housed in a glass bottle and are very popular, too.
OIL PULLING The benefits of oil pulling are fantastic, but it will probably just be a matter of fitting it into your routine. I recommend doing it first thing in the morning while you’re making your bed or getting ready for the day. It’s been suggested that oil pulling can pull bacteria from the mouth, help reduce bad breath, may help prevent cavities and improve gum health. This is one that I’ve used for a very long time (they also have an incredible full oral set here). I also recommend checking out these small business oil pulling solutions.
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