Toothbrushes

Our latest colourful menagerie of plastic soon-to-be landfill

Hmm... 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 strange 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. Maybe we are just biting them more!

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 why the really wierd shaped bristles lately? It is so hard to find a plain, normal toothbrush where the bristles are flat along the top... instead they all look like a jagged mountain range... and they have also all started coming out with tongue cleaners on the back! Bizarre!

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, if you love it or not, and where you can get them... thanks!!