Here’s something to smile about

These teeth-brushing heroes will make a real difference

‘Toothpaste is something that we put in our mouths twice a day, yet few of us are aware of what is actually in it and its impact on the environment,’ says Faye Wilson, founder of ,a company dedicated to redrawing the toothpaste and dental care arena. She didn’t like the sound of the complicated chemicals found in standard toothpastes and wanted options that were ‘kinder to your mouth’, so she found alternatives ‘such as enzymes from papaya for whitening, and hydroxyapatite – the same mineral your teeth are made from – for strengthening tooth enamel’. The resulting vegan (£12, happierbeauty.com) launched last year.

But it wasn’t just about what was inside the tube: Faye discovered that globally 1.5 billion single-use plastic toothpaste tubes are thrown away each year. So she decided to ‘create as natural a product as possible that reduces the huge carbon footprint of this everyday essential’. She uses aluminium tubes so that they can be recycled and even offers a reusable (£3) to wind down the tube – a bit like an old sardine tin – to help empty out as much of the product as possible and aid the recycling process.

Colgate has also produced a vegan

Happier Beauty Happier Toothpaste Squeeze Key Smile For Good Whitening Toothpaste

(£5, boots.com), which is more eco-conscious than the standard. The tube is made from the same plastic used for milk bottles, so is fully recyclable.

Amid this focus on updating the dental offering, environmental concern seems to be one of the main drivers. It was when Cat Beech, a fashion buyer, stayed in a luxury eco hotel and, having forgotten her toothbrush, was offered a plastic replacement, that she realised there was a big disconnect – and a gap in the market. Add that to the potential 264 million toothbrushes discarded in the UK annually and ‘we realised that there was scope to make a toothbrush that was beautiful as well as eco-friendly,’ explains her co-founder Catherine Western. The Devon-based working mums took two years to design and develop their alternative, the (£4.50, thetruthbrush.com), which comes in four colours and is made from sustainably sourced and biodegradable bamboo with castor oil-based bristles.

Meanwhile, is merging eco-awareness with natural ingredients. Not only are its formulas fluoride- and peroxide-free, but its packaging is also plastic-free, biodegradable and recyclable. The brand’s

(£6.90, georganics.com) comes in a glass jar, while its

(£4.90), made from wax-coated silk or charcoal fibres, comes in a refillable glass tube. Georganics also offers a sustainable

(from £4.40) with

Toothpowder Truthbrush Georganics Beech Toothbrush Spearmint Natural Floss

recyclable bristles.

Mouthwash has also benefited from a green makeover. (£17 for 500ml, spacenk.com) has long been the natural-lover’s choice with its alcohol-free spearmint, anise and clove formula, and last year Jermyn Street perfumier added

(£40 for 100ml, florislondon.com) to its alcohol-free mouthwash range. Simply add a few drops to water.

Another alcohol-free option comes from new vegan brand which uses botanical extracts to flavour its mouthwashes – including

(£8 for 500ml, wakencare.com) – and houses them in recyclable aluminium bottles available in chic pastel colours.

Aesop Mouthwash Floris Violet Concentrated Mouthwash Waken, Natural

1.5 billion plastic toothpaste tubes are thrown away each year

Aniseed Mint