LETTERS: Billions of toothbrushes are discarded worldwide and the numbers will keep increasing.
Researchers from the Faculty of Dentistry of Universiti Malaya have observed a significant number of discarded toothbrushes on Pantai Marang in Terengganu.
Similar findings have been reported in the United States in beach clean-up efforts.
Recently, researchers from Nihon University in Chiba, Japan, found that styrofoam — a type of polystyrene plastic — can degrade in as little as a year in warm ocean water.
Does that mean plastic toothbrushes that end up in the ocean degrade faster?
Technically, yes. Not as fast as styrofoam or a grocery plastic bag would, but the toothbrush would degrade faster floating in the ocean than it would being buried in landfills.
Fortunately, eco-friendly alternatives are available.
Bamboo toothbrushes, for instance, are biodegradable and have a much lower environmental impact.
Some oral care manufacturers have also introduced toothbrushes made from miswak, a naturally sustainable material traditionally used for oral hygiene in the Muslim community.
Toothbrushes with replaceable heads will also reduce plastic waste by allowing users to retain the handle while replacing only the bristles.
By making small changes in our daily habits, we can reduce the environmental footprint of our oral hygiene routines.
DR ANAS HAKIMEE AHMAD UBAIDILLAH, DR MOHD AZMI ABDUL RAZAK and DR NUR DIYANA MOHAMED RADZI
Faculty of Dentistry,
Universiti Malaya
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
