Researchers ask: how sustainable is your toothbrush?

Date:
September 16, 2020
Source:
Trinity College Dublin
Summary:
Researchers have examined the sustainability of different models
of the most commonly used oral health product - the toothbrush - to
ascertain which is best for the planet and associated human health.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have examined the sustainability
of different models of the most commonly used oral health product -- the toothbrush -- to ascertain which is best for the planet and associated
human health.


========================================================================== Although the toothbrush is a widely recommended healthcare device
worldwide, there is currently little quantitative data available for
its impact on the planet. The research study, in collaboration with
Eastman Dental Institute at University College London, is published
in the British Dental Journal today (Tuesday, 15th September 2020). It represents the first time a life-cycle assessment (LCA) has been used
to measure environmental consequences of a healthcare product.

Healthcare is a major emitter of environmental pollutants that adversely
affect health, but awareness of these effects remains low both in the
industry and in the general consumer population. There is currently
little evidence or guidance regarding the sustainability of specific
healthcare interventions, services or devices.

Researchers considered different manufacturing models of the toothbrush
and measured the environmental impact (carbon footprint) and human
health impact (DALYS) of the toothbrush. The electric toothbrush, the
standard plastic brush, the plastic brush with replaceable head, and the
bamboo brush were used. The team found that the electric toothbrush was comparatively harmful for planetary health.

The findings highlight the human health burden of the toothbrush
manufacturing process. The electric toothbrush causes 10 hours of
disability measured in Disability-Adjusted Life years or DALYS mainly
for the people associated with the process of making and producing the
devices. This is five times higher than a normal plastic brush.

The team found that the most environmentally sustainable toothbrush was
not bamboo, as could perhaps be popularly believed, but a hypothetical continually recycled plastic toothbrush.



==========================================================================
This simple comparative LCA showed that a plastic manual replaceable head toothbrush and bamboo manual toothbrush perform better than traditional
plastic manual and electric toothbrushes in every environmental impact
outcome measure used in this study. These results could be used
to inform individual consumer choice, oral health recommendations,
procurement of toothbrushes for public health programmes, and toothbrush manufacturers. Using LCA to inform healthcare policies and recommendations
will help healthcare providers move towards a more environmentally
sustainable system.

Dr Brett Duane, Associate Professor in Public Dental Health at Trinity
College and lead researcher said: " There are billions of toothbrushes
used and discarded every year. Our research shows that electric
toothbrushes are actually harmful for the planet and to the people
involved in the manufacturing process and distribution. There is not a
lot of evidence to show they are more effective unless you struggle to
clean your teeth with a normal toothbrush. We have also shown bamboo toothbrushes are not the answer. Using them just stops land from being
put to better use such as helping biodiversity, or in growing forests
to offset carbon emissions.

The ideal toothbrush is one which uses plastic which is recycled in a continuous process. Plastic brushes which can be recycled don't take up a
lot of land and they don't need lots of water to grow. The important thing
here is to keep the plastic in the recycling chain. We need a system where plastic toothbrushes can be collected like batteries and then recycled
into new products. If the plastic escapes the recycling chain, it needs
to be able to be easily and naturally broken down into harmless products.

Manufacturers, consumers, health professionals, and health policy
makers should consider environmental sustainability as well as money
and people's health when recommending products. Governments and industry
should consider how they could support recycling programmes. More funding
is also required to support sustainability research in this area."
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to measure the environmental impact
of different services or products. Also referred to as a cradle-to-grave analysis, LCA considers all aspects of a product along its life cycle, including raw materials, manufacture, use, transport, and disposal.



==========================================================================
The four types of toothbrush used in this research were: 1. Plastic
manual: plastic handle with fixed head.

2. Bamboo manual: bamboo handle with fixed head.

3. Plastic manual replaceable head: reusable plastic handle (made from
a bio- plastic) with replaceable heads.

4. Electric: handle and charging unit, with replaceable heads.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Trinity_College_Dublin. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Alexandra Lyne, Paul Ashley, Sophie Saget, Marcela Porto Costa,
Benjamin
Underwood, Brett Duane. Combining evidence-based healthcare
with environmental sustainability: using the toothbrush as
a model. British Dental Journal, 2020; 229 (5): 303 DOI:
10.1038/s41415-020-1981-0 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916113456.htm

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