Are Your Teeth Green?

I own one of those fancy sonic toothbrushes. You know what, I love it. Every time I brush my teeth, it feels like I just left the dentist office. But at my last dentist appointment, despite high marks for cleanliness everywhere else, there were some spots on my molars that I just wasn’t hitting.

Thanks to a promotion by Mom Central, I received a Preserve Toothbrush in the mail to try out. My first impression was summed up well by my mother-in-law, “A toothbrush made from recycled materials. Eww.” Then I started to think about it… there are a lot of products given new life.

I don’t proclaim to be a green person. Yes, I recycle. Yes, I bring canvas totes to the grocery store. I even use eco-friendly dish detergent, but not exclusively. I don’t go out of my way to find eco-friendly products and I don’t like spending extra for it. But if I find a great product that’s effective and affordable, I figure why not?
Recycline makes toothbrushes and razors out of recycled plastic, including Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. Their line of tableware and kitchen products were mentioned in the August 2008 issue of Better Homes & Gardens (pg 59 in my issue) as well as several (other major publications) recently.

Now, here’s the part where Recycline shows their true colors. Using the postage paid mailer on Recycline’s website, send your used Preserve toothbrush or razor back to be recycled into plastic lumber. That means the park benches, decks and other useful products being created through this process are on their third life. First as a Stonyfield Farm yogurt cup, then as a Preserve toothbrush or razor, finally as plastic lumber. That’s right. Recycline will pay the postage to help you be a little greener. That’s commitment.

If you’re considering trying these out, you can find Preserve products at Target, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for about the same price (or cheaper) than other toothbrushes. Their current price is $2.04. Preserve Kitchen products are currently sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market. Before you go, print a coupon to make it even more affordable!

What did I think? Remember my dentist appointment? The Preserve toothbrush had a comfortable grip and the perfect angle to reach those trouble spots pointed out by the dentist. Now, I use the Preserve toothbrush in conjunction with my electric toothbrush for teeth that are clean… and green.