Are bamboo toothbrushes good?Should you be making the switch to a bamboo toothbrush?
Bamboo toothbrushes are becoming increasingly popular due to their impressive environmental and sustainability credentials.

• 97% less plastic
• 6-11 times lower impact on climate change
• Buy bamboo toothbrushes

Bamboo toothbrushes cause less greenhouse gas emissions, less acidification (of land, marine and freshwater), less ecotoxicity, less eutrophication, a lower risk to human health (in terms of of cancer risk), use less land, deplete less Ozone, and use less energy and less water when the the overall production, delivery and use is comparedwith normal plastic toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes.
97% less plasticMost bamboo toothbrushes use nylon bristles which, despite some false claims, are not biodegradable and therefore not zero waste. Others use hog hair which is not cruelty free and not as hygienic.
Although bamboo toothbrushes have nylon bristles, they do not have plastic handles and usually have plastic free packaging. Bamboo toothbrushes are therefore currently the best option for minimal use of plastic – using 97% less plastic than normal plastic handled toothbrushes.
6-11 times lower impact on climate changeBamboo toothbrushes have an impact on climate change 6 times lower than normal plastic toothbrushes and 11 times lower than electric toothbrushes.
Electric vs Manual
​There is good evidence that electric toothbrushes are more effective at plaque removal than manual toothbrushes. For most people though, using a manual toothbrush with a good technique will be perfectly adequate to maintain their oral health.
When weighing up the efficiency and environmental impact, bamboo toothbrushes are the best manual toothbrushescurrently available.
Choosing a bamboo toothbrush

• Pick a brush with medium strength bristles, unless otherwise advised by your dentist
• Look for smaller heads for better precision cleaning
• Curvy or flat bristled heads are both fine
• If you are buying for your family, pick a pack that contains different colours or designs for easy identification of which brush belongs to who
• Choose a brand with plastic free packaging
  
• Choose cruelty free toothbrushes
• Don’t get distracted by misleading claims of biodegradable bristles
• Don’t place too much emphasis on marketing ploys such as charcoal infused bristles

A good manual toothbrushBamboo toothbrushes 5 pack – £4.40 (88p per brush)

• 97% less plastic compared to a plastic toothbrush
• Environmentally friendly handle and packaging
• Cheap and effective when used with a good brushing technique
• Medium strength bristles
• Different coloured bristles for easy identification
• Cruelty free (and suitable for vegans)

Text and further advice via dentalchoices.org

What’s the best toothbrush to use?
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Electric toothbrushes
There is good evidence that electric toothbrushes are better than manual toothbrushes for plaque removal and gum health. Although “sonic” toothbrushes sound fancy, an oscillating rotating action is thought to be better than a side to side action, so the electric toothbrushes with round heads that turn back and forth are preferable over sonic toothbrushes.
The evidence does not currently say that more expensive toothbrushes are necessarily better. Base to mid level models of electric oscillating rotating toothbrushes probably represent the best investment for your oral health, but more expensive models come with more fancy features.

A good base level oscillating rotating electric toothbrushOral-B Pro 1 – £26.00

• Rotating oscillating
• Rechargeable
• Brushing timer
• Can use separate heads and share the handle between whole family
• Pressure sensor – lets you know if you are pushing too hard

A top end oscillating rotating electric toothbrushOral-B iO9 – £283.00

• Rotating oscillating
• Rechargeable
• Brushing timer
• Can use separate heads and share the handle between whole family
• Pressure control – lets you know if you are pushing too hard or not hard enough
• Connects with your smartphone to give you feedback about your brushing technique

Manual toothbrushes
​Manual toothbrushes can provide an adequate level of oral hygiene but are reliant on a good brushing technique. Its not clear that any particular design or shape of manual toothbrush offers an overall advantage, so a basic brush with small head and straight bristles is perfectly fine to use.
Plastic toothbrushes are usually made with polypropylene. Its hard to find good evidence for just how long they will take to biodegrade but most estimates are hundreds of years. Clearly, if every one of the 66.8 million people in the UK are throwing away another toothbrush every 3-6 months for an average lifespan of around 80 years, we will leave a legacy of waste far beyond our time on earth.
Bamboo toothbrushes are definitely more environmentally friendly since the bamboo can biodegrade in a matter of months rather than years. They are however not 100% biodegradable or not 100% cruelty free.
Most bamboo toothbrushes still use nylon bristles which, despite some false claims, are not biodegradable. Others use hog hair which is not cruelty free and not as hygienic.
While bamboo toothbrushes don’t have the same fancy designs and packaging as the plastic toothbrushes, less plastic is surely better than more. So when weighing up the efficiency and environmental impact, bamboo toothbrushes are the best manual toothbrushes currently available.

A good manual toothbrushBamboo toothbrushes 5 pack – £4.40 (88p per brush)

• 97% less plastic compared to a plastic toothbrush
• Environmentally friendly handle and packaging
• Cheap and effective when used with a good brushing technique
• Medium strength bristles
• Different coloured bristles for easy identification
• Cruelty free (and suitable for vegans)

​text and further advice via DentalChoices.org