Even though you only brush your teeth for a total of four minutes a day, you may not realize how much you waste during your daily oral hygiene routine. In fact, we use an average of 10 gallons of water a day just to brush our teeth! But don’t worry, you can still brush your teeth without harming the environment. Follow these tips to keep your smile sparkling without making a negative environmental impact.
1. Use a Cup to Rinse
Fill up a reusable cup with water before you brush and use that to rinse your mouth when you’re all finished instead of just cupping your hands under a running faucet. This will save on the amount of water you waste when you brush your teeth.
2. Turn the Faucet Off
Turn your faucet off after you fill up your reusable rinsing cup and wet your toothbrush. There’s no need to keep the water running while you’re brushing! Having your faucet off for the two minutes while you’re brushing will save you time and money and preserve our community water supply.
3. Don’t Use Warm Water
It takes less energy to use cold water, and you won’t have to keep it running to wait for it to warm up!
4. Turn Down the Water Pressure
Check your faucet’s water pressure and make sure it isn’t too high. This will help conserve water even if you do leave the faucet running.
5. Try Eco-Friendly Dental Products
There are plenty of different eco-friendly toothbrush and floss options available for purchase depending on your needs and interests, including biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes. However, don’t keep your toothbrush for longer than recommended in order to “reduce waste.” Old toothbrushes will just end up doing your smile a disservice before going to the landfill. Be sure to replace your manual toothbrush or electric toothbrush head every three months, and after you’ve been sick, for optimal oral health.
Visit Us Every 6 Months!
Don’t forget to see Dr. Marshall twice a year for preventive care to keep your smile in tip-top shape. At River Vista Dentistry, we utilize advanced dental technology to offer a wide variety of high quality services without sacrificing on comfort. Contact our office to discover how our treatments can improve your smile or to schedule your next appointment.