The buy it for life subreddit page is a really good start for researching new longlasting items!

Hey dental student here, just a friendly reminder to change your toothbrush (or toothbrush head) every 3 months or when the bristles are noticeably worn. For those that care why........ it is because of the bacteria AND when the bristles get worn down they can wear down the enamel (white outer layer) of your tooth. It is so important to protect your enamel because it cannot regrow back!

There actually is a reason not to share toothbrush heads! (I know you don’t, but for others.) Cavities are contagious, and dental disease and infection can spread from sharing a toothbrush. Your gums may also bleed and that can be transferred to the other person’s blood stream if theirs do as well. (Even if it is visibly clean.). The science lesson no one asked for

I used to think electric toothbrushes were a scam, but I finally got one years ago at the recommendation of my dentist and it's made a *huge* difference. So glad to hear it's a sustainable choice, and to learn that Sonicare has a repair option!

I am SO ANGRY about Hey Humans with fluoride. I saw it on clearance at my Target and bought every single one because I had a feeling that meant it was going away. So maaaaaad

I've had my base-level, non-fancy Sonicare toothbrush for about 10 years and I love it. I didn't know they offered repairs!!! I'll be keeping this bad boy around forever, it's great.

Honestly, I think that whatever good quality electric toothbrush is more sustainable than the dentist visits, cavities etc that could be prevented with it. Every cavity you get filled is a lifetime with that filler in your mouth - the repairments, too. Gum issues, erosion etc are often the same. Electric toothbrushes are generally quite long lasting, if you compare to other small electronics used around the household. Therefore, they're not the first thing to look at when you're implementing a sustainable lifestyle. I've never felt any eco-guilt using dental and other health related equipment that I need. Sustainability for me is not minimizing my eco-footprint in every aspect of life, but rather living mindfully and seeking balance. Managing one's health and preventing problems is important. Greetings from the land of xylitol, Finland (it was invented here)! 😅

I JUST went on this toothbrush journey because the husband was scolded by his dentist- i ended up doing the same thing (sonicare with the bamboo) glad you taught me well 😆

this reminds me - Be careful with charcoal toothpaste, everyone! I actually really damaged my tooth enamel using it exclusively for nearly 2 years. My dentist told me it's fine to use as a whitening treatment (aka use for a week or two, 2-3 times a year) but NOT as a regular daily toothpaste. Who knew?!

I use Toms toothpaste with fluoride! It is in a plastic tube but it’s a single layer #2 plastic which is accepted by most recyclers (if you clean it out). I like to think of it as a good middle ground “eco” choice because it’s stocked everywhere so it more accessible and the company has some good certifications (and taking care of your health is sometimes more important than getting the absolute most “sustainable” option…)

Thank you for the great info! People definitely NEED videos like this to give them a fuller picture of products :) Edit: am really looking forward to the composting of the bamboo head! :D PART 2 PLSSSSSS

The timing of this video is IMPECCABLE! I’ve been on the same toothbrush journey and I’m super intrigued by Goodwell’s Be.Brush, but as a small company that launched their product on Kickstarter, they’re just now sending out the beta units and you can only preorder rn. They boast a lot of amazing things about the brush including being mechanically powered, lasting for 10yrs, having a take back program at end of life, etc. Plus Goodwell’s a certified B corp & 1% For the Planet member & climate neutral certified. Almost sounds too good to be true 😭 Okay this was entirely TOO LONG but again THE TIMING 😂 thank you for all the info!

Thank you so much for that! I had actually contemplated buying that bamboo electric toothbrush. I have been a long term, 20+ year, user of sonicare. My first toothbrush lasted 10 years and then completely went kaput, but my second one I think has been running perfectly well and is more than 10 years old. I still have a few of my plastic refill heads, but I will definitely look into just getting the bamboo refill heads to put on the sonicare.

For everyone talking about Hey Humans going away at Target, I just saw them start showing up at Walgreens!

Definitely going to look into more eco-friendly brush heads for my Oral-B electric toothbrush. I use that brand because it's what my periodontist recommended and I need the sensitive brush heads.

I was so sad to see hey humans toothpaste be discontinued. Sensodyne came out with a new toothpaste called nourish it says the tube is recyclable I would love to hear your thoughts about it.

THANK YOU for this video!! I have dental problems as well, specifically dental crowding. It's almost impossible to floss between some of my teeth, and I tend to get cavities in those hard-to-reach spaces. I use an electric toothbrush and a water flosser as well, now I feel less guilty knowing that I'm doing what's best for my oral hygiene and the planet simultaneously. I wish there was an option that involved a little less waste but I don't think it's worth neglecting my teeth!

I have been on the hunt for a bamboo toothbrush head replacement for my Sonicare toothbrush and after watching this video I can't wait to use up the toothbrush heads we have to get the bamboo ones.

Everything I love gets discontinued too! I also always end up buying a piece of technology a month or two before they come out with a new thing (meaning I could get the older version cheaper) or they stop servicing my version.

Tom’s of Maine now has toothpaste in recyclable tubes plus options with fluoride!

I LOVED Hey Humans with fluoride 😭 they never advertised though!

I miss hey humans toothpaste too 😩 however I just bought a different toothpaste at Target - Tom's luminous white toothpaste - which has fluoride and apparently has a curbside recyclable tube. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hi shelbi! Do you think you could make a video on sustainability and pets? Like the litter and food you use for tippy? I've tried so many different things and some things have been a win and some have definitely not been a win so I want to hear your opinion on those kind of things.

This was great! Thank you for everything mentioned in the vid! Hey humans still makes the toothpaste! They're going to announce soon where you can buy it!

Thank you so much for this Shelby! My sonic care toothbrush just went out after like 8 years and I was wondering if they’d fix it and you just answered that! Also, I’m defiantly going to get those bamboo toothbrush heads, I tried to escape the electric toothbrush when I first went sustainable and used the bamboo toothbrush and I guess I wasn’t doing such a good job because I got like 8 cavities so I went right back to the plastic (mind you, I have the best teeth in the family and always used a electric toothbrush till I got to college, then it changed). Rarely had cavities so I was very upset, but now that they have a better option, I’m excited to try!

Love how down to earth and real you are! So full of knowledge. Thank you for your videos💙

This video has made me so stinkin happy!!!!!!! I’ve been making swaps slowly over the years and educating myself more and more…. A great deal by YOU- thank you!!!!! And the sonic are with a bamboo brush is something I already do & then seeing you discuss this swap made me feel like I really am walking the walk in the sustainable world!!!

Love to hear your realism about dental supplies! I also have had struggles with cavities in the past -- in my case it's more related to the crowded layout of my mouth with some bad brushing habits developed in youth -- and although manual bamboo toothbrushes are more sustainable, I'm just not fucking around with my dental hygiene. (Additionally, if you think about it, the supplies used during tooth extractions and cavities doubtless create plastic waste, so preventing cavities is good for you AND the planet.) For the same reason, I avoid "natural" toothpastes that don't contain fluoride -- dentists advise against those! And I was also disappointed when the one sustainably packaged fluoride toothpaste was pulled. I recently got myself a waterpik and am similarly excited! On a more general note, though, one reason I appreciate your videos is that you bring a rational, scientific, and pragmatic approach to reducing waste that takes the entire life cycle of objects into consideration and makes room for realistic consumer constraints. Unfortunately, there are too many people in the "zero waste movement" who disregard some of these things, and as a result I find them less credible. I certainly don't watch all of your videos as they appear in my subscription feed, but when I do have a question about a "zero waste" issue or replacement or hack, the ability to search your channel and blog is such a godsend. I know a lot of work goes into the research you do both to discover corporations' real practices and to find sustainable solutions. As someone who wants to do better for the planet but does not have the time to do all that research myself, it's very helpful to have you present this information in a clear and (usually) not-too-time-consuming way. Have a nice day, and good luck with the wisdom tooth thing!

In the UK we have a brand called Waken that sells toothpaste with fluoride in recyclable aluminium tubes. Hopefully they ship to the US 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm so excited about the electric toothbrush heads!

Thank you for uploading a video 🥺 I'm so grateful. Seriously! So grateful for you and your videos!

I’m so excited to watch this video because I’ve really been dying for an electric toothbrush but didn’t know how to best do that sustainably

They started selling some Hey Humans products at Walgreens, maybe they’ll sell it there? I’m really sad to learn this, I loved them as a travel toothpaste!

I’m actually glad you did talk so much about them. I just had my wisdom teeth pulled to and was looking into a bamboo electric brush before that! Thanks for the great content all the time!

Gut bacteria play a major role in out circadian rhythm so it makes sens you couldn't sleep well when you went on antibiotics! Thanks for the great video and the dental suggestions!

This was actually perfectly timed for us since we have held off on getting an electric toothbrush and water pick! Thank you for sharing this knowledge!

It's still quite new, but Colgate has some recyclable toothpaste tubes (with fluoride). I use Colgate Optic White Renewal, and the tube is a #2 HDPE (recyclable with the cap on). Colgate also has a Terracycle program that takes back oral care products from any brand, so I send them my Oral B electric toothbrush heads.

Just going to point out that I love your longer videos! 🤍

I like how Shelbs got in the shower to spray the water pike outside the shower 😂

I’ve had three regular teeth pulled and implants put in… took four years and a CRAZY amount of money so I am very vigilant on dental care. I also use a electric toothbrush and now use a water pick now as well! They said it’s the best option for my implants! It really solved my sustainable floss solution!

I've been using my Sonicare for years and did not know there were bamboo heads available that were compatible. Thx! It's so important to look at the longeavity & durability of a product vs multiple purchases of less durable products. Also 100% agree that Waterpik is such a great option especially beacause ease of use is HUGE. I also have the same issue with not being able to reach between my teeth with floss, the picks work but are so much more wasteful. I've had my waterpik for 6 years and it's still going strong. It's a high quality product.

Hi Shelbi, pharmacist here. That actually looks like a safe medication disposal bin where you can take back your old or unused drugs and it would be disposed of properly. By law (at least in California), we cannot reuse vials and I don't know any pharmacies that recycles them since it's cheaper to just throw it out and buy new ones.

We have to talk about this contagious laugh! I have been binge watching your videos, and they are really interesting! 💜

Oh my god. I just bought my second tube of the hey humans toothpaste with fluoride and I love it! I didn't know they aren't going to carry it anymore. That sucks, I'm so sad!

I have to take pills every month, so I go through a lot of those bottles. I found out my local animal shelter reuses them.

So glad you made this video! I’ve had my sonicare for about 6 years and it just stopped working on me. I’ve been putting off buying a new one, and had no idea they have a repair program! I will definitely be checking that out to see if I can fix mine! Also great tip about the bamboo replacement heads. I’ve been looking for a sustainable toothbrush, but didn’t want to give up my electric toothbrush, so I love that small tip to help!

i’m currently taking a microbiology course. taking probiotics is great while taking broad spectrum antibiotics or staying on antibiotics for an extended period. it allows your levels natural biota to be less effected by the antibiotics 👍

Studying to be a dental hygienist and I'm so glad you are providing sustainable options. Thank you for all you do 🙏

Something else important in regards to leftover medications, not just the bottles, is that you should ALSO take those back to a pharmacy so they can dispose of them responsibility. Don't flush them, because then your meds end up in the water system - best case they're yet another thing that needs to be purified/filtered out of the water by your municipality. And as for electric vs manual toothbrushes... If you have executive dysfunction or other mental health issues (depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, etc) that makes you bad at taking care of your oral hygiene consistently, an electric toothbrush can make a big difference

If you lived in the UK I'd recommend Ben&Anna toothpaste with fluoride. I don't mind tablets but their toothpaste is just like other commercial brands👌

So cool! I love my electric toothbrush but I didn't know what to do about the plastic waste from my toothbrush head when I had to replace it. Love the idea of a bamboo brush head, will totally be looking into those the next time I need to buy some replacements

Very useful! I’ve been on the fence about getting an electric toothbrush. I’ll probably get the waterpik too

I've used olive oil tins before and love them! Protip: use a can opener to open it so you can clean the inside before recycling!

I have never once thought you talk too much. My husband’s Sonicare is at least 15 years old and still working!

this video hit on many struggles we have here in NC regarding bulk anything not being available. I’m super happy to learn of the bamboo heads for the sonicare but I have to wait for you to try it…. We have accidentally bought some head replacements that didn’t fit…the news of the HEY HUMAN toothpaste leaving target breaks my heart… I only have 5 tubes left…. Love this video… super educational as always

I just wanna let you know I really appreciate how much research you do. When I need to buy new things, I easily get overwhelmed by how many options, what's the best for price/quality, etc and whenever you talk recommend something, I know it's a good choice. I've been thinking about getting an electric toothbrush for a long time and now that I've seen this I feel better about getting one.

I'm glad ure doing this video. I've been looking for replacement heads for my tooth brush and there's just too many options that look sketch

I’ve had my basic electric toothbrush for 10 years. It’s great and for some reason the toothbrush heads themselves last forever! I did see the bamboo one and thought I would look into it once my current one dies…you have saved me that research🥰

Another thing you can get in addition to a water pick is a metal dental pick. I have one for cleaning around and under my permanent retainer. Lasts years and years and years because it's just solid metal, cleans easily for the same reason.

UGH totally second the "I like it, so I guess it'll get discontinued"! Regarding Hey Human, I noticed the body wash in my Walgreens yesterday - I wonder if they are moving there?

1) 100% agree getting a sonicare or something equal quality. I have had cheap toothbrushes and it's just creating waste when they inevitably break on you. 2) I don't understand the trend of zero-waste marketed toothpaste being fluoride free. Even the tabs if you use those, I always have to make sure mine have fluoride. It's so weird. The fluoride is good! Who is making these decisions! 3) I am currently trying Booheads and then trying Sustainable Tomorrow for brush heads. I am running into the same problem where there are still non-compostable components and Booheads says you need to remove the bristles which is a hassle.

Thanks for sharing the probiotic, my husband has been having some stomach issues and I think I might have him try it. Love the videos as always!

I got a Hum toothbrush for christmas and I can't be happier with it, the heads are minimal and yes are disposable but it's not nearly as much plastic as some of the other electric toothbrushes I've seen out there, and the app is helpful teaching you/showing you how well you are actually brushing.

Couldn't have come at a better time. Super useful. Hopefully i can get these or similar products outside the US. Thanks.

I'm proud of you for going to the dentist when it was really stressful for you 💕❣ I hope your new dental routine suits your needs well :^)

Also, I’m an Oral B girl myself, I had the same toothbrush body from when I was in third grade up until 2 years ago! I had to replace it cause 1. It was just looking a little too gross by the end lol and 2. Using it in the UK seemed to have messed with its battery. I hope this new one lasts just as long 😊

Suuuuuuper helpful, thanks!!

Thanks Shelby! 🧡🧡🧡🧡

So happy you made this video... I was going back and forth on toothbrushes! I also joke with my sister about discontinued items. I'm always afraid to LOVE anything. Mine is a lot of times certain scents (I'm very picky). I did however come across a brand, also at Target called Davids with a recyclable metal tube, but haven't tried it yet since I'm using up my current stuff. (Sorry, I was someone who recommended the tablets). Thanks for these videos. I love all the ideas I'm getting 😊

I recently started using Seed. I'm completely obsessed with everything they do for sustainability. I totally geek out about them! My father-in-law does the same thing for olive oil!

I'm new to this. Kinda. What about the silicone electric toothbrushes? Do you think that's more green washing?

I don't have any liquid refill options in my town, so I always get the biggest bottles/cans too. In addition to olive oil, I buy vegetable oil, sesame oil, and soy sauces in large aluminum cans.

Yessss I've been wondering about sustainable electric toothbrushes, ALSO since I recently got my wisdom teeth out (yes, TRAUMATIC - the holes!! No one prepared me for that!!) Thank you so much!!

Hi Shelby-I love your ending quote and image-Is there a place we can get it to use as a wallpaper? Thank you 🙏🏽

Oh man I can relate. Recently got five fillings I need a root canal and probably gotta remove my wisdom teeth soon. A waterpik will be life saving!!

I relate to the permanent retainer, I also use a waterpik cause of it. In terms of toothpaste, to make sure I don’t get cavities, I do use a extra fluoride toothpaste that comes in a plastic container (not a tube, still plastic but easier to recycle) but it lasts me a really long time so I’m ok with it. I used to use a electric toothbrush but I actually switched the other way and started using bamboo cause for me, I cleaned more thoroughly with it. Great video, thanks for talking about alternate tooth cleaning products

I've had my oral b electric toothbrush for years, maybe 10! I'll have to check in about the compostable heads. Thanks for this!

Loving the new font on your end-of-video message

Toms of Maine has toothpaste that has a recyclable tube, its plastic but at least it is easily recyclable and is a B corp

The new Colgate toothpaste tubes are now made with just no 2 plastic instead of being a mixed material and are supposedly recyclable?

I love my sonic care. I have had mine for two years now. I will definitely check out the sustainable toothbrush heads.

I've just recently gotten a new oral b toothbrush base but that was having had my previous one for about 10 years so it's nice to hear that actually maybe that was the best option :)

Recently switched to a Sonicare because my dental health has unfortunately not been where it needs to be, but my partner and I share it and just put our own brush heads on it. Works like a dream :)

I saw a company, Plus Ultra, that makes partly compostable replacement heads that are compatible with the two major brushes, sonicare and oral b. I haven't run out yet, but I want to try them next. The heads that are not good for teeth anymore, I mark them with paint and keep them with my cleaning stuff, really helpful for little crevices and corners, and I am happy they get a lifetime of use.

I love you’re tier ranking/review of brands! If you do another video I would love to see your thoughts on Parade Underwear/Bras!

I waterPik too as recommended by my dental hygienist. Better for the landfills too. Love that clean mouth feeling also.

WOW!! Throwback to ingredients 🥲

I am on my last fully plastic sonicare brush head, so I just ordered the bamboo ones from pearl bar!

Also water pick is awesome, I had mine for 10 yrs now. Amount of floss that I didn't buy I can't even imagine

I use a quip brush. You can but the heads in target/Walmart in cardboard packaging

The struggle to find toothpaste WITH FLUORIDE in recyclable packaging is REAL. I've been using one from Toms of Maine and it does the job, it comes in a #2 recyclable tube. You have to read the label carefully though, because most of them don't have fluoride.

Your discussion on the Sonicare - mwah!!

I understand your frustration 🙃 I had a similar issue with finding the right sustainable period option for me & man there's a lot to sift thro but I finally found it 🤗

There’s a reason the saying “they don’t make them like they used to” exists. I hate planned obsolescence so much and it’s such a good thing to find brands like Sonicare that are tried and true and are actually meant to last a long time.

I miss having an electric toothbrush it was so nice. I used to have one when I got braces and never knew where it went.

I personally use a quip tooth brush and once the battery that comes with it dies I use a rechargeable battery. Also one thing I do to make my replaceable head last longer is to sanitize it with boiling hot water every few months and my dentists approves!!

I have had my sonicare toothbrush for 7 years with no issues at all. It ROCKS. And as someone that struggled with dental health, I would also note that I have had so many less issues since I started using it.

Have you looked at be.brush by Goodwell? It's got very little plastic in the heads and takes no electricity to charge. You crank it a few times to power it. It's still on preorder

Thank you Shelbi! Always so helpful! My dental hygienist has recommended I use Sensodyne because of my extremely sensitive teeth. Would love if they had sustainable options...

I have the Goby toothbrush with the replaceable heads but the whole back fell right off. It still works so I don't want to go through the trouble and waste of replacing it but it's super annoying to pay so much for something just for it to fall apart. I'll probably get the sonicare if the battery ever stops holding a charge.