Are you an avid flosser but not sure you’re getting all the food out from between your teeth? Try environmentally friendly interdental brushes instead. They actually ‘brush’ in between your teeth, effectively removing plaque better than regular dental floss.
What are interdental brushes?
Interdental brushes are small brushes specifically designed to clean between your teeth. Interdental brushes can be used as an alternative to flossing. There are some studies that show that daily interdental brushing is more effective than daily flossing at removing plaque.
Can you recycle interdental brushes?
You can recycle the plastic handle of interdental brushes. You just have to separate the brush from the handle with pliers or some other tool.
How often should you change an interdental brush?
Just like your toothbrush, interdental brushes can be used every time you clean your teeth until they start to wear out.
The average interdental brush can last anywhere from 3 days to a few weeks, depending on use and how hard it is working.
What are interdental brushes made of?
Most interdental brushes, like the TePe brand, are made from plastic. The handle is polypropylene and the brush is a mix of different plastics.
There are some interdental brushes made with a sustainable bamboo handle and nylon bristles, which may be a more eco-friendly choice.
Are TePe interdental brushes recyclable?
No, TePe interdental brushes are not recyclable because they are composed of both bristles and plastic. Most recycling programs are not set up to handle items made from different materials.
However, if you dismantle the interdental brush, you can recycle the polypropylene (plastic) handle.
TePe is really making an effort to keep its interdental brushes environmentally friendly. All of the plastic packaging is recyclable and any waste from production is recycled and re-used.
They even created a pilot program for dental offices to recycle their spent interdental brushes. I’m unaware of what the outcome was, but they are making a commendable effort to be ecofriendly.
What Types of Biodegradable interdental brushes are there?
While there are no fully biodegradable interdental brushes currently on the market, there are bamboo interdental brushes in which the handle is made from bamboo and the brush is made from nylon.
This means the brushes need to be removed from the handle and disposed of in your normal household garbage. The handles, on the other hand, can be composted in your backyard or municipal compost facility. The bamboo handles can also be reused as plant markers in your garden or in some other creative way.
Humble Co. Bamboo interdental brush
- Handles made from 100% sustainably grown bamboo
- Bristles are made from nylon
- Biodegradable/compostable handle
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- BPA free
- Reusable
- Plastic-free packaging
Piksters Bamboo Interdental Brushes
- Bamboo handle
- 97% biodegradable
- 100% recycled biodegradable packaging
- Plastics used are derived from corn – not oil
Looking for more environmentally friendly ways to keep your teeth clean? Check out these articles on eco-friendly toothbrushes and dental floss.
What do you use to keep your chompers clean? Let me know in the comments below.
Cheers, and have an awesome day!
Thanks you for the above information, useful to know how to recycle both types. I would like to replace TePes with bamboo brushes, but it seems that their sizing is not the same. I bought 0.8mm bamboo brushes – but they are smaller in width than the 0.8mm TePes.