From reusable water bottles to drinking straws, shopping bags to cups, every day it seems there are new alternatives to the common single-use plastics that ultimately end up in our oceans. And that’s a good thing. Overwhelmingly, consumers are becoming more cognizant of the ubiquitous nature of plastics and the impact of a “throw-away” culture.
But here’s a frightening idea: in the U.S., one billion or so toothbrushes (mostly made of plastic) are thrown out every year. And because the American Dental Association recommends replacing brushes – or at least brush heads that are in most cases made with nylon bristles – every three to four months, maintaining proper hygiene appears on its face to be antithetical to minimizing plastic usage. But a new product aims to change that.
Tooth. is a London-based company that makes an alternative to the plastic toothbrush that’s much kinder to the environment and the premise is simple. A recycled aluminum handle holds a replaceable biodegradable brush head (and bristles!) that can be replaced every few weeks.
The metal handle is available in a number of different colors, and the brush heads are available with soft, medium, and firm bristles.
What’s more, if you can never remember to buy a new toothbrush you can sign up for Tooth.’s subscription service that delivers new brush heads to your door every three months.
A stand and a travel case that holds three brush heads are some of the accessories available at an additional cost.
At time of publication and just a day after launch, Tooth.’s Kickstarter campaign had already reached a third of its ambitious $24,000 goal.