by Jenny Vedrani
Refill Goodness

Crest, Colgate, Sensadyne, Tom’s, the aisle is full of options.  Fresh mint, blue mint, yikes – more choices. What’s the right answer? If you have started your low waste or sustainable journey, you realize very quickly, it’s none of them. Not only do you question the ingredient list – fluoride or no fluoride? But what happens with those plastic containers?

As with most single use plastics, the unfortunate news is that your toothpaste tubes will find their way into your local landfill.  Statistically speaking, that’s 6 tubes per person per year in your household. For my family of five, that means we have the potential to put 30 tubes in the landfill per year. For the USA, it means a whopping 400 million tubes of toothpaste that go to the landfill each year. YIKES!

So, we set out on a mission to solve the toothpaste dilemma.  After several months of research and suffering through some salty and not so pleasant varieties we tested, the Refill Goodness team came up with a few solutions, but only one took the all-around top prize, and it was the clear winner – Change! Yes, that’s the product’s name.

After testing out every tablet option (and there are a lot) this brand won us over because it checks all the boxes: it foams, it cleans, and it leaves your breath smelling so fresh. Here’s the gist – you pop one in your mouth, bite down and start brushing with your wet, preferably bamboo, toothbrush. They also work great for camping. These tablets are available in three flavors, Spearmint (fan and owner’s favorite), Bubblegum (yay to no more blue goo in my sink and a happy seven-year-old, with clean teeth) and Cinnamon (for those who like the spicy flavor). And the best part? No packaging. Simply refill your jar on your next visit to a low waste shop.

Feeling less adventurous? David’s toothpaste (another brand name) comes in an aluminum tube and the company follows sustainable practices.

Want to make your own? Try this recipe from mom4real – ½ cup coconut oil, 4 tablespoons baking soda and 15 drops of peppermint essential oil. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

We’d love to hear your thoughts – what low waste toothpaste options do you love? Email us and Annapolis Green.

Happy brushing!