Why the handle can't be plastic-free
An electric toothbrush has a battery, a motor and a circuit board in the handle. All of that has to sit inside a sealed casing that can handle water every day. The casing is almost always plastic, sometimes metal with seals and buttons made of plastic or rubber. We don't know of any electric toothbrush with a handle that is completely free of plastic.
That matters less than you might think. A handle lasts many years if you charge it properly. It isn't where the plastic piles up.
The brush head is what becomes rubbish
An ordinary brush head is plastic through and through: a plastic stem, nylon bristles and often a small metal part inside. If you replace it every three months, as most manufacturers recommend, that's four heads per person per year. In a household of four, that's sixteen plastic heads a year, year after year.
The nylon bristles also wear against your teeth as you brush. We have written more about that in Microplastics in toothbrushes.
The alternative: a bamboo brush head with horsehair
There are brush heads where the stem is bamboo and the bristles are natural bristle instead of nylon. Our bamboo brush heads have horsehair bristles, attached without glue. Horsehair is a protein, not plastic, so the bristles release no microplastics.
One thing you should know: at the bottom of the head there is a small plastic connector. It is needed so the vibrations from the handle reach the brush. So the head isn't 100% plastic-free, which also means it isn't 100% biodegradable. But the bristles and the stem are free from plastic, and those are the parts that wear and get thrown away.
Horsehair comes from animals, so the head is not vegan. If that matters to you, a nylon head is the only option today.
| Part | Ordinary brush head | Bamboo brush head |
|---|---|---|
| Bristles | Nylon (plastic) | Horsehair (protein) |
| Stem | Plastic | Bamboo |
| Connection to the handle | Plastic | Small plastic connector |
| Feel | From soft to hard | Soft, roughly like "soft" |
| Vegan | Yes | No |
Will it fit my electric toothbrush?
Our heads fit Philips Sonicare with the click-on fitting, for example Sonicare 3100 and 4100, Series 5300–7500 and DiamondClean 8000–9900, which are sold today, and older models such as ProtectiveClean and FlexCare. A simple test: if your current head clicks straight down onto the metal shaft without twisting, it will fit.
They don't fit Oral-B, which has a round rotating head and a different fitting. Nor do they fit Philips One or Sonicare models where the head screws on. The full list is on the product page.
How to care for a head with natural bristles
- The first time: soak the brush in warm water for 2–5 minutes so the bristles soften.
- Before each brushing: rinse the head with water.
- After brushing: let the head dry standing up somewhere airy. Natural bristles absorb more water than nylon and shouldn't stay wet.
- Replace it when the bristles start to splay, roughly every three months.
Who is the bamboo head for?
It isn't a perfect solution, and we'd rather say so ourselves. But for many people it's the best step you can take today:
- You have an electric toothbrush that works and don't want to throw it away. The handle contains a battery and electronics. Switching to a manual brush turns a working appliance into e-waste. With a bamboo head you keep the handle for many more years.
- You want to cut down on microplastics. It's the bristles that rub against your teeth twice a day. With horsehair instead of nylon, it isn't plastic that wears off.
- You want a soft head. Horsehair feels roughly like a soft head.
It's not for you if you need a vegan brush, or if you want something completely free from plastic. Then a manual bamboo toothbrush is a better choice, see below.
Want absolutely zero plastic?
Then a manual toothbrush is the only option today. A bamboo toothbrush with wild boar bristles has a bamboo handle and boar bristles, with no plastic bristles, glue or plastic parts. We go through the difference between bristle types in Boar bristle vs nylon bristle.
Many people do both: an electric toothbrush at home with a bamboo head, and a bamboo toothbrush in the wash bag.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an electric toothbrush with no plastic at all?
We don't know of one. The handle has a battery and electronics and needs a sealed casing. You can, however, swap the brush head.
Are there bamboo brush heads for Philips Sonicare?
Yes, for Sonicare with the click-on fitting. The bristles are horsehair and the stem is bamboo. A small plastic connector at the bottom passes the vibrations on.
Is horsehair as good as nylon?
It is soft, roughly like a "soft" head. Technique matters more than material. Let the head dry between uses and replace it every three months.