Alter your brushing habits to save the planet

Did you know the average person wastes approximately 90 glasses of water every day by leaving the tap running while they brush their teeth? That means in the United States alone, we’re literally pouring down the drain as much as 27 billion glasses of clean, drinkable water every day just by brushing our teeth.

While it may seem like a small thing, according to the World Water Council, one out of every six people on the planet lives without clean drinking water.

During Healthcare Environmental Awareness Week, the EDA is asking everyone to save 90 glasses of water a day by turning off the tap while brushing their teeth. It’s easy, something everyone can do, costs nothing and has a big impact on the preservation of a precious resource.

Additionally, each day during this weeklong health observance, the EDA is asking consumers to tell a friend or family member to do the same. Just tell seven other people and by the end of the week, together you can save 720 glasses of water. That’s 90 gallons of water saved for each person who tells seven friends.

The EDA recommends that people brush their teeth twice a day and conserve 90 glasses of water every day by doing the following:

1) Wetting your toothbrush under the water.
2) Turning off the tap.
3) Applying toothpaste.
4) Brushing your teeth for two minutes.
5) Filling a small glass with water.
6) Rinsing and swishing with water from the glass.
7) Tell a friend or family member to do the same.

“Together we can make a big difference with small changes,” said the EDA.

The EDA offers dental professionals practical tips on reducing waste and pollution and conserving resources, like using cloth wrappers instead of disposables to sterilize dental instruments, installing energy efficient lighting, properly disposing of mercury-containing dental waste, and planet-friendly building and office methods, like using non-toxic paint and recycled copy paper.

To date the new planet-friendly organization has registered green dental professionals as members in 40 U.S. States, and in Canada, Guam, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. The group’s members hail from all over including unexpected places like Waxahachie, Texas; Beachwood, Ohio; and Fort Bragg, N.C.

(Edited by Fred Michmershuizen, DTA)