Maybe someday i will know enough about the insides to explain the ecological impact of the actual toothpaste and explain some solutions, but for now, let’s look at the packaging. If you are taking care of your teeth the way most dentists recommend, you go through a fair amount of toothpaste and those tubes add up in the landfills. As with most hygiene products, toothpaste generally comes in plastic. The extraction and production of plastic scars the earth and produces greenhouse gases.1 billion toothpaste tubes end up in landfills every year. They can’t be recycled. Their plastic takes centuries, if ever, to break down and the microplastics spread through the waterways and the food chain. There’s probably some inside you right now.
So which is the best ecofriendly tooth care method for you?
Tablets
Basically like toothpaste but in a crunchy pill shape. Chew one tablet, then brush and spit, don’t forget to rinse your mouth after or you will swallow enough to fluoride to potentially unsettle your stomach. Packages range from $25 to $6 and should last months. Pros: low maintenance, decent price, lighter and less messy, meets same needs as traditional gel toothpaste. The TSA won’t bother you about them since they aren’t liquid. It’s easier to put a few tablets in a tiny container to travel with than to buy a travel sized toothpaste tube. Some have special ingredients regular toothpastes don’t have. Cons: Some packaging (usually paper bags or glass jars). Many major stores don’t carry it, so you might have to ship it.
Toothpowder
Dip into a jar of powder and brush away. Toothpowders have been traced back to ancient Egypt and used around the world. Price: $5 to $15. DIY can be more or less expensive than toothpaste depending on what you put in it. Pros: recyclable container, more effective at removing plaque than toothpaste, TSA shouldn’t bother you about them. Some have special ingredients regular toothpastes don’t have while meeting the same dentist-approved need as toothpaste depending on ingredients list. You can also make your own with simple ingredients. Cons: Most still use non-renewable packaging (glass or recyclable plastic). Some people dislike the gritty mouth texture. If you make it yourself, you have to be careful not to use the wrong ingredients or it can hurt you or fail to keep your mouth healthy.
Toothsoap
Comes in various forms like solid shreds you bite, liquid with a dropper, bar of soap you rub a toothbrush on, or gel. Used to be popular before toothpaste. $10 to $25 and lasts several months. Pros: recyclable container, uses coconut oil, variety of flavors. Cons: Some people dislike the taste, less abrasive so whiteness loss, no fluoride, some still come in plastic.
Twigs
For centuries and around the world, many people have been cleaning their teeth by chewing twigs. Some strip bark off the end and brush with it. Bamboo, fig, neem, and orange branches are some common examples among many others listed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teeth_cleaning_twig. One study of 60 people found twig chewing a more effective teeth clean teeth better than a traditional toothbrush, but more research is needed and the type of plant matters. Some teeth cleaning sticks are sold online for down to $6 or up to $18 for a set. Pros: I don’t think we will find a more sustainable option than picking a twig off a nearby tree. Some plants naturally have fluoride. Gives your mouth something to do. Some sticks will give you interesting breath and have interesting flavors and possibly other medicinal values. Potentially the cheapest option. Cons: more research needed to really say this is a safe and solid option to the point that i can’t even give a full cons list.
Recyclable Toothpaste
A couple of brands have created tubes or containers from a single plastic material that can be recycled. They run around $7 for a medium sized tube $2.50 for bottles. Pros: simple, familiar, dentist approved, usually fluoridated. Cons: Still plastic and many are #2 so some locales won’t recycle them anyway.
Before you buy your toothpaste alternative, consider how it reaches you. Shipping in a product from far, far away may feel good but could do more harm than trashing a classic tube of toothpaste- even if that ordered alternative is otherwise a pinnacle of environmentally friendliness. Aim for local products and avoid air shipments.
It's ok to go a while without toothpaste. The friction of brushing is the most important part.
Some annotated ingredients to consider adding to Do-It-Yourself toothpaste:
Anise- the only essential oil that dentists seemed to widely say was safe.
Baking soda- Whitens teeth and is 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale while teeth are 5 so it’s fine for most teeth. Sensitive mouths should avoid it though.
Bentonite or kaolin clay- Adds consistency to the mixture, works as gentle grit to remove plaque, raises Ph. Prevent it storing bacteria by keeping it dry, preserved, and sanitary. Use a spoon, popsicle stick, or other sanitary object to scoop it, not the toothbrush.
Cinnamon- Anti-inflamitory and anti-microbial. Adds flavor. Watch out not to burn your mucosa by adding too much.
Coconut oil- Might be antibacterial and adds flavor. Coconut oil changes state in different common house temperatures so consider where you place it and what you mix it with as seasons change.
Salt- Antibacterial, adds grit to scrub off plaque, and produces saliva. More saliva increases the mouth’s Ph and prevents cavities by making the mouth unfriendly to bacteria which commonly prefer a Ph of around 7 (neutral). It also remineralizes teeth. Mix it with other ingredients to prevent excessive abrasion.
Sodium bicarbonate (AKA baking soda)- creates friction to scrub off plaque and removes odor. Food grade quality is recommended for sanitization reasons.
Sorbitol- Adds consistency, sweetness that doesn’t cause cavities, and draws in moisture.
Theobromine- Research looks promising for this chemical, commonly found in cacao, to be able to supercede fluoride as a non-toxic remineralizing agent. Just be sure to rinse the chocolate out of your sink so it doesn’t stain.
Xylitol sweetener- Other sweeteners might add rather than remove cavities. Xylitol increases salivation and raises your mouth’s Ph making it harder for bacteria to survive. Watch out because it can poison cats, dogs, and perhaps other pets.
Things to avoid:
Artificial coloring- Carcinogen potentially linked to ADHD and hyperactivity, also, unnecessary.
Charcoal- too abrasive, according to American Drug Administration.
Glycerin- this soap takes off the natural mucosa (tissue) in your mouth. It’s not terrible.
Hydrogen peroxide- Damages tissues.
Lemon juice- too acidic for everyday use.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate*: Causes canker sores in some mouths. It can be made from coconut oil, but sometimes is made from palm oil. Most palm oil production causes notable environmental damage.
Triclosan*- inhibits hormones and a likely carcinogen since it’s used as pesticide.
Other notes on choosing toothpaste alternatives:
Alcohol keeps bacteria from growing in your toothpaste as opposed to other base ingredients like water. However it decreases saliva flow which lets more bacteria grow on your dry teeth.
Bacteria used to be treated as all bad, but lately scientists are finding that many bacteria living in and on your body help you live a better, healthier life. These microscopic residents keep other harmful bacteria from moving in, so when certain ingredients wipe out all bacteria it actually gives harmful invaders an unopposed terf to to conquer, leading to more harmful bacteria living in you than before. Helpful bacteria and their management is still being researched, so this is just a consideration for now.
Diet also affects dental health, don´t blame your toothpaste for everything.
The dose and fact that toothpaste should be spat out afterwards, makes most of the above ingredients pretty safe. Still, do you research and ask your doctor if you might have a baby on the way.
Many people opt for fluoride-free toothpaste because fluoride is toxic if swallowed… in sufficient doses. Many cities add fluoride to drinking water. Most toothpastes contain only 0.15% fluoride. “Columbia University College of Dental Medicine says that an 8-year-old would have to eat more than 4 tubes of toothpaste and a 2-year-old more than 2 tubes to receive a fatal dose.” Otherwise you are mostly dealing with stomach aches. So as long as you are confident you won’t swallow your toothpaste, and some kids and adults do, then i suggest you use fluoride toothpaste. It helps remineralize enamel and the risk seems low. The American Dental Association only endorses fluoride toothpastes.
Many toothpaste recipes recommend essential oils. These are highly concentrated and somewhat unresearched, so the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t really regulate them. Many dentists i read from warned against them. They are hardly... necessary to homemade toothpaste. Don´t worry, this is a pun free zone.
At the very least, squeeze from the end of your tubes until every last drop is gone. If you lost the cap use a twist-on cap for electrical wires. They sell those at hardware stores.
Disclaimers: I am not a doctor or a dentist, if what i wrote is misleading, please tell me so i can fix it, but i refuse all liability.
Other people’s websites might be worse (or better) than mine. They might have false, rude, inappropriate, or otherwise disagreeable content on them. They might have taken down their website since i last viewed it in 2020. None of those issues are my problem.
Links:
Comprehensive guide to toothpaste and more.
Study on twig teeth cleaning effectiveness:
Photo by Mareefe
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