Toothbrushes!!!

[sugarfish]

Hmmm... I have a lot to say about toothbrushes!

We go through a phenomenal amount of them... 6 people brushing their teeth at least 2 times a day and replacing toothbrushes every 2-3 months (lately it's been more like every 2 months) means we throw a lot of plastic in the bin!!

If every person in Australia is changing their toothbrush once every 4 months (being conservative in my estimating here) then we are throwing out at least 60 million toothbrushes a year! Eep!

For some reason, lately our toothbrushes have all started getting shaggy really quickly. Are they making toothbrushes with less durable bristles so that we have to replace them more often? That is my toothbrush scandal theory anyway

Also, I always only just get comfortable with a brand and go in to get more the same, and they are no longer in existence! What is with that?! And what is with the really wierd shaped bristles lately? It is so hard to find a plain, normal toothbrush where the bristles are flat along the top... they all look like a jagged mountain range... and they have also all started coming out with tongue cleaners on the back! Wierd!

Anyway, I feel really bad about it... every time I change the families toothbrushes I feel guilty and wasteful when I look at the handful of colourful plastic handles, often emblazoned with colourful characters or whatever looked fun at the time that I am about to toss out.

We have tried toothbrushes with replaceable heads in the past and they were awful! Nothing beats using a toothbrush where the head falls off in your mouth or pinches your lip!

Well, there has to be a better way!

I am going to research eco toothbrushes and report back with my findings in the hope that a bit less plastic goes to landfill... heh heh

Wish me luck!

Oh, and on the same note... it is the same with disposable razors... why is it so expensive to buy refill heads to go on a razor handle, and so cheap to buy a packet of disposable razors each with their own very fancy, thick, shiny, plastic handle with rubber grips that look identical to the reusable handles? I don't get it!!

If anyone is already using some type of eco toothbrush, either natural materials or replaceable heads please let me know what type it is and where you can get them... thanks!!

[starbuckozzie]

When we were in the US we bought recycled toothbrushes from Whole Foods and then posted them back to be recycled again. I haven't seen anything similar here but would be interested if you find out more....

[Clover]

I have thought the same thing so many times. Looking forward to reading your findings

[emd]

We have an electric toothbrush for the adults. We share the actual handle part with the electrics in it, but each have our own toothbrush head to put on it. When the kids get old enough, they can use it too. We go through fewer brush heads than we did with the non-electric ones, because I don't push as hard on my teeth (because I'm not doing the brushing, the toothbrush is).

I run an eco-friendly retail business, and one of my suppliers also has eco-friendlier toothbrushes. (I don't stock them, they're just in the wholesale catalogue.) They are Monte Bianco brand - plastic handle, replace the heads. Heads come with either nylon or natural bristles, in soft or medium or hard, as well as children's size. Toothbrushes RRP $5.25, replacement heads $7.95 for a 3-pack.

[Mocha Mumma]

I know how you feel, we are a family of seven and we also go through heaps of toothbrushes!

I wish you the best of luck finding an eco toothbrushes and please let us all know what you find

[kristamumof3]

I use our old toothbrushes for cleaning. Thery are great for around the taps or other hard to get at places.

[emd]

I vaguely remember as a kid, my mum got me a wooden toothbrush with natural bristles from an alternative health shop in Prahran (Melbourne). I used salt to brush my teeth with it, I think - hard to remember, I was only primary school age.

[spiralgirl]

i hate the waste of toothbrushes as well!!!

we use an electric toothbrush here ( just one electric brush with seperate heads for hubby and i. I felt bad about that initially but we are on 100% green power now, so i dont feel as bad about the power usage ( and man do they get your teeth clean!!!) i also find that the heads last longer than with normal toothbrushes (i dont know if they are made better or something???) my daughter however has a plastic toothbrush.............

we also reuse them for cleaning once they are shaggy......

as for razors, i dont shave ( hairy natural mama here) and hubby does for work ( although id love him not to!!) and he uses razors with replaceable heads and doesnt go through that many ( again i think they are better eco wise because less to go in the bin and they seem to be made much better than the cheap packs of disposy razors)

[emd]

I think they last longer because I don't push down on my teeth with the brush as hard when I use an electric - because I don't have to do the brushing action.

With the razors, I use an old-fashioned men's razor with the actual razor blade. I don't cut myself any more often than I would with a disposable razor, I use a cocoa butter body wash when I shave, and I find it actually gives a closer shave than a disposable. Just gotta make sure I change the blade regularly - shaving with a blunt razor is not good!
Hubby uses an electric razor, but he also signed us up for green power so I figure it's better than throwing out plastic. He wants me to stop shaving altogether, but I hate the sweaty prickly legs.

[spiralgirl]

you get past tht prickly stage emma and its smooth and soft