So you've heard me talk about minimalism, converting to sustainable and greener lifestyle since last year. And in case you're wondering, yes, it is still on and the thoughts about how I can contribute to the environment has been the back of my head more often now as depressing news like the Amazon fires and us Malaysians (pljus our neighboting countris) experiencing the worse transborder haze of the century yadayadayada. That aside, this post is about my experience converting to bamboo toothbrush.
Until now, I have only tried three types of eco-friendly toothbrushes _ the generic bamboo brushes from Taobao which cost about RM1-ish each, one from The Hive that cost me RM11 and another available in Aeon called Jordan for about RM10 made of recycled plastic.
Unlike the gentler design of plastic toothbrushes, the bamboo ones are hard. I always find bruises on my the side of my lips after brushing! It doesn't hurt nor obvious but annoys me.
Because manufacturers are so eager to accommodate to consumers' growing demands for greener options, little emphasize are put on the bristles. The ones I got online (no doubt made in China) are course and sharp they hurt my gums. To fix, I simply use a scissors to trim the sharp edges and it was good to use.
Before & after trimming
Another which I got from The Hive has such soft bristles, they were already out of shape after the first use. I get it will be some time before they figure what's a greener alternative to nylon bristles, but I would want better bristle designs.
This is how it looks about a month... Very rarely do my other toothbrushes look like this by the time I replace them.
I have switched 3-4 bamboo toothbrushes over the past few months, which I think is quite frequent. Reason being I found that the bamboo part do not last long because they're very susceptible to molds.Read Natural bristles retains moisture and are breeding grounds for bacteria and malodour EWWW!! That is even though I made sure they're kept dry. I think that's the case because the bamboo part were not treated with chemicals to make them waterproof, leaving it in its au natural state. In other words, you want to store them dry, in toothbrush holders with more open spaces for ventilation. Maybe out of the bathroom where it can get humid.
See those black spots are molds!
All this kinda makes you think twice about using bamboo toothbrushes... I'm persisting is because I do think they do their part in reducing plastic waste. If I have to decide which, I will get more from China because the bristles are better and they're cheap so I can change whenever molds start growing. Tho still hoping there will be more ergonomic designs available soon!
Until now, I have only tried three types of eco-friendly toothbrushes _ the generic bamboo brushes from Taobao which cost about RM1-ish each, one from The Hive that cost me RM11 and another available in Aeon called Jordan for about RM10 made of recycled plastic.
Unlike the gentler design of plastic toothbrushes, the bamboo ones are hard. I always find bruises on my the side of my lips after brushing! It doesn't hurt nor obvious but annoys me.
Because manufacturers are so eager to accommodate to consumers' growing demands for greener options, little emphasize are put on the bristles. The ones I got online (no doubt made in China) are course and sharp they hurt my gums. To fix, I simply use a scissors to trim the sharp edges and it was good to use.
Before & after trimming
Another which I got from The Hive has such soft bristles, they were already out of shape after the first use. I get it will be some time before they figure what's a greener alternative to nylon bristles, but I would want better bristle designs.
This is how it looks about a month... Very rarely do my other toothbrushes look like this by the time I replace them.
I have switched 3-4 bamboo toothbrushes over the past few months, which I think is quite frequent. Reason being I found that the bamboo part do not last long because they're very susceptible to molds.Read Natural bristles retains moisture and are breeding grounds for bacteria and malodour EWWW!! That is even though I made sure they're kept dry. I think that's the case because the bamboo part were not treated with chemicals to make them waterproof, leaving it in its au natural state. In other words, you want to store them dry, in toothbrush holders with more open spaces for ventilation. Maybe out of the bathroom where it can get humid.
See those black spots are molds!
All this kinda makes you think twice about using bamboo toothbrushes... I'm persisting is because I do think they do their part in reducing plastic waste. If I have to decide which, I will get more from China because the bristles are better and they're cheap so I can change whenever molds start growing. Tho still hoping there will be more ergonomic designs available soon!
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