Dental Lace – one easy step to live more sustainable.
I bet that when you think about your habits regarding personal waste, dental hygiene is not the first thing that comes to mind.
There’s more to it:
If you have been on the zero waste bus for some time now, chances are bamboo toothbrushes and alternative, plastic-free toothpaste products are already on your radar, but there are other things to consider.
Think about this:
If everyone in the United States flossed the amount recommended by the American Dental Association, we would have enough landfill waste to fill a six story high football field in just a year.
That is 2.18 billion dispensers of floss!
You may be wondering:
How exactly does one floss their teeth without consuming plastic? If you were to investigate the dental hygiene aisle at your local store, you would find plastic floss housed in plastic dispensers sold right next to those ungodly daily disposable plastic picks.
You may think, “Should I just boycott flossing?”
No! Flossing is an important part of a good daily dental hygiene routine. It promotes healthy gums, prevents tooth decay, and helps remove plaque. So what is the alternative?!
It is simple:
Dental Lace! To put it simply, Dental Lace is a product that defies the plastic bounds of traditional floss. It is a stylish, refillable solution that is completely plastic-free!
Here is why I recommend it:
Dental Lace: What’s not to love?
There really is virtually nothing negative about Dental Lace.
I recommend to everyone I know who is trying to transform their lives to be more eco-friendly.
Here are my top reasons why I love Dental Lace:
1. Refillable System
I have definitely said it before, but I adore refillable systems.
Remember reduce, reuse, recycle? We often forget that you are supposed to apply these principles in order and I think refillable systems are a great way of reducing our impact.
You may be wondering:
How does it work?
Well, upon your first purchase, you will buy one of the sets that contain the reusable Dental Lace container and floss. Once you use it all up, you can just buy floss refills and put them in your empty container.
Not only is it more sustainable, but it saves you money as well! The packaging can and will last you for years to come.
2. Floss Material
Okay, so we spoke before about how flosses are made from plastic, but what exactly is Dental Lace made of?
Dental Lace is made from 100% Mulberry Silk.
It also has a Candelilla wax coating, which is plant-based and therefore, vegan. You get 33 yards of it per spool, which lasts a good amount of time.
The good news is that the floss is compostable, making it zero waste. Dental Lace also sells this adorable little table top composting bin which is perfect for your discarded floss and any other compostable bathroom trash.
There is more:
Many traditional floss manufacturers coat their product with a Teflon-like substance that contains PFCs. They do this to allow the floss the easily glide between your teeth and reduce bleeding of the gums.
So what is so bad about that?
PFCs may add beneficial properties to the product, but they are in fact, toxic chemicals. Yes, floss manufacturers are literally poisoning us.
Get this:
The continued use of products that contain these chemicals has been linked to thyroid disease, hormone instability, immune system damage, ADHD, impaired reproduction, and fetal development problems. Yikes!
Don’t worry, Dental Lace does not use PFCs or any other toxic chemicals in their product. Just safe, healthy flossing!
3. Packaging Materials
Since this product is 100% zero waste, all packaging materials are non-plastic and are either recyclable or compostable.
Here is the breakdown:
The container that holds the floss in is glass. It can be reused, repurposed, or recycled. The top is made of stainless steel, which can be recycled.
Oh, I forgot to mention! The lid has a built-in cutter, so flossing every morning is very easy.
When your Dental Lace arrives, it will be packaged in cardboard. Luckily, this means that it can be composted or recycled. Also, the floss comes in a small, compostable bag that is made from the lactic acid in plants.
See:
The packaging materials are completely zero waste! It is so easy to transform our dental hygiene routines to be more eco-friendly.
4. Aesthetic
Jodi Breau, the founder of Dental Lace, actually had the idea for this product while first considering aesthetics, not the environment. One day after lunch, she was flossing and was thinking about how someone should make a prettier floss container, so she did it!
The containers of Dental Lace come in all different colors and designs. They are all so beautiful and there is definitely a style for everyone out there. Dental Lace containers are way more stylish than traditional floss.
It gets better:
Once Jodi found out about how floss is negatively impacting the environment, she decided to make a product that was both aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly. Dental Lace rocks!
5. Price Point
Floss is pretty cheap, and Dental Lace is no different. The first pack that you buy that includes the container is only $13.99.
Refills that contain two spools of floss are only $9.99.
Think about it:
It may be slightly more expensive than regular, conventional floss, but you will have some peace of mind knowing you are doing something positive for the environment and yourself!
Remember, Dental Lace is toxic-free and also comes in a pretty container.
It is totally worth it! I love flossing with zero-waste.
6. Flavor
When I told some friends that I have been flossing my teeth with silk, they were intrigued. How does it taste? How does it feel?
Well, it is quite similar to regular floss. It feels just like it. It’s waxed and minty. The flavor is super fresh and keeps your breath smelling great. It’s flavored with natural mint flavors. I love it!
Dental Lace: The Very Few Cons
There are so many amazing factors of Dental Lace, but with every great thing, there have to be some drawbacks.
Stay with me:
The only negative thing that I can find about this product is that since it is made of silk, it technically is not vegan.
Don’t worry:
Dental Lace recently realized that they were not appealing to vegans, so they added a new product to their website.
Now, they sell plant-based floss alongside their silk floss. It is made from polylactic acid and is compostable.
It is really awesome when a company realizes its flaws and publicly improves upon them. I love that Dental Lace has a vegan option, but they still sell the non-vegan option.
Hear me out:
If you are the kind of person who does not want to support a company that is not completely vegan, that is understandable.
Here’s an alternative for you:
Lucky Teeth is a company that sells all-natural, organic, and eco-friendly products for your teeth.
This includes toothpaste, toothbrushes, and you guessed it, floss!
Lucky Teeth sells a Glass floss container made of Organic Bamboo Fiber. Since it is made from plant fibers, it is completely vegan.
It is infused with activated charcoal, tea tree oil, and peppermint oil.
This blend is antiviral, antibacterial, soothing, eases pain, anti-inflammatory, and eliminates germs. Wow!
It gets better:
The floss is biodegradable and breaks down in approximately 60-90 days.
Like Dental Lace, the floss comes in a glass bottle with a stainless steel lid, so it is recyclable. All of the outer packaging is compostable kraft paper.
Love it!
Transforming Our Lives to Be More Eco-Friendly
Let’s be real, compostable floss alone is not going to change the world. You know what will create real, impactful change, though?
All of our collective actions and efforts to live more sustainably is greater in total than the sum of each and every part. This is called synergy.
However, when we start to tell our friends and family about our efforts and they start catching onto these sustainable ways of living, the group really starts to make a positive impact.
These efforts may start to influence the way people think about consumption. It may eventually change the way that manufacturers make things. Eventually, it could even trickle up and influence people in positions of power, which can make institutional environmental changes.
Floss is a tiny, important part of our daily lives.
Switching to a more sustainable solution like Dental Lace or Lucky Teeth is a great way to start making a bigger positive impact in your life.
Be the change you would like to see in the world!
