The Science of Dentistry

Preserve Toothbrush

So the folks at Preserve Products are taking old yogurt cups and using them to make toothbrushes.  Makes sense to me.  The Preserve Toothbrush is priced right (less than $3 each), is good for the environment, is BPA free, and comes with a postage paid mailer to return the toothbrush for another round of recycling.

Green certainly seems to be a buzzword right now, doesn’t it? Whether it’s automobiles or apples, seemingly everything has a “green” or “organic” connotation. So you’re asking yourself, “What does it mean to be green?”

From Guo Lili comes a tube of toothpaste we can all get to the bottom of.  We’ve all done it – waited that extra day or two to purchase a new toothpaste tube, despite knowing that our current dispenser of dental health simply won’t make it.

Brilliant packaging designed by Sang Min Yu and Wong Sang Lee allows you to squeeze out every last bit of toothpaste.

When most people think of saving the planet, dental health is often left out of the equation, but taking care of your teeth can actually become a very green endeavor. From your own personal oral hygiene to your dentist’s office, you can ensure your teeth make a good impression.

Eco Friendly Dentistry

Green dentistry is much more than the ethically, morally, or politically correct thing to do; it is also beneficial to the bottom line of a dental practice. It is our responsibility as health-care professionals and citizens of this planet to do our part in preserving our natural resources and minimizing the waste we produce.

Dentistry and the Environment

Recently eco dentistry has taken on a new role in our annual lives by adding an adjective to its process: comfort. No more stiff chairs, old copies of Highlights magazine, and outdated art on the walls like my childhood dentist; these days offices have waiting room chairs so nice you want to get there early to take a nap, iPods to listen to during your visit to help drown out the ugly sounds of the tools, and the newest copies of all the hip magazines and newspapers. What is next for dentists to adopt?

Eco-Friendly Dentistry

Many dental professionals are prepared to take a leadership role in making the kind of decisions we can be proud of. We are, after all, first and foremost healing professionals, so it makes sense that we would be on the leading edge of helping to heal our planet. What follows is an easy rubric to help you get started in green dentistry. It all starts with the 4Rs: Rethink, Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle.

Green dentistry (also known as eco dentistry) is an environmentally friendly way of practicing dentistry. It involves using methods and machines to reduce waste, conserve energy and decrease pollution. Aside from helping to protect the environment, going green can also help to save money and time.

From traditional x-rays to amalgam dental fillings, and from disinfecting chemicals to water usage, the products and practices associated with the dental industry have an impact on the environment. According to the Eco-Dentistry Association, traditional x-rays generate 4.8 million lead foils that must be disposed of every year, and 28 million liters of toxic x-ray fixer. Additionally, one of dentistry’s biggest areas of waste and landfill impact is the use of disposable infection-control and sterilization methods.