Everyone wants that perfect smile, but the tool to get there could long outlive you.
I had never really thought much about my toothbrush. Every 6 months I would go to the dentist, they would clean me up, and then send me on my merry way with a plastic toothbrush, plastic floss, and a little plastic tube of toothpaste all tucked into a little plastic bag to last me until my next visit. My thinking was usually "great, free tooth-care products until next time!"and so the process went. Into the trash bin and headed to the landfill.
Then, while on a work trip to India, I visited a plastic sorting facility near one of the largest landfills in Chennai.
Looking through the bags of waste that were sorted based on their type of plastic, their value, and their recyclability, I come across a 4 ft tall bag of toothbrushes. They can't be readily recycled in the US, as there are so many different types of plastic in them, and even if you put them in the recycling bin they are most likely to be sorted out and sent to landfill - but the informal waste sector in Chennai have picked them out of a landfill to try to repurpose them. It was overwhelming to see the sheer quantity from a relatively small area, and I couldn't help but think of how many are sitting in landfills or ending up in the environment across the US and beyond. After seeing this, I never wanted to contribute to a plastic toothbrush in the waste stream every again.
I've recently started using Brush with Bamboo toothbrushes and I am a big fan. I really like the feel of them, the handles are made from 100% organic bamboo, and their bristles feel very similar to those of normal plastic brushes. While their bristles are plant-based they are still 38% nylon, but that is the lowest I have been able to find yet and they are actively advocating in the production community to find better alternatives (that don't involve pig hair). You can also easily remove the bristles when you are done with the toothbrush so that they don't get added to any of the other compostable or recyclable components.
Their packaging is 100% compostable, but once I ordered them off of Amazon and the toothbrush itself (inside of the compostable box) was wrapped in a plastic wrapper. I'm not sure if thats only an Amazon thing, but I would love to see that not be the case anymore.
If you are against the biodegradable toothbrush concept or can't afford to keep purchasing/don't have access to bamboo toothbrushes (which is a very legitimate issue - if only we could make these more affordable and accessible all around the world!), there have been some recent developments and partnerships formed where toothbrushes can be repurposed in the US, though they require some extra effort. Recycle Nation has a nice article on different options, based on your location.
For more info on this product: Brush with Bamboo