Eco-Dentistry – what does it really mean?

For us, eco-dentistry is a considered approach to caring for the environment – as well as your teeth! 

Eco-dentistry or Green Dentistry as it’s also known, supports dental practices which protect the health of our patients and team members. It reduces our impact on both our local community and ultimately the global environment too.

At Dentist Mandy, we are aligned in our belief that we have an obligation to continually improve our processes and services to minimise our footprint. From sourcing natural and sustainable dental products, to composting and working digitally, we take a dedicated approach to environmental awareness. 

Being a Bondi Local dentist, we are within a community that approaches business with a view to the greater good of the planet. Most locals here are committed to investigating more holistic and gentle approaches to health and all aspects of their lives.

It’s an enthusiasm we support and are proud to be a part of in our own little way. If the notion of this appeals to you, read on as we discuss some of the ways we practice eco-dentistry.

It’s no secret that many commercial toothpastes contain ingredients that have little benefit to your teeth and are harmful to the environment as well. Microplastics and SLS contained in certain toothpastes are released into the water systems when commercial toothpastes are washed down the sink during normal brushing routines. These are toxic to much of our marine life.

Through our research, we have uncovered many products which are not just natural, but in some cases 100% organic too. Sustainably produced, they leave a low footprint on the planet, but have high levels of benefits for your teeth.

Even your toothbrush plays a role in the planet

Did you know that every toothbrush you’ve ever used still exists? In fact, every toothbrush made since the 1930’s, when plastic toothbrushes were introduced, is still around.

Whilst it might seem a small gesture, little things like switching from plastic to bamboo or compostable handle toothbrushes can have a hugely positive impact too. To help our customers make this transition, we stock a range of toothbrushes and natural picks which are designed to be kind to your teeth and the planet.

And, of course, we all understand how harmful the plastic packaging of commercial toothpastes is. Highly toxic to the environment, we always opt for recyclable and reusable packaging such as glass or tin instead. It also looks much cuter in the bathroom than squishy half empty toothpaste tubes!

A sustainable practice

Eco-friendly dentistry is an approach which involves a range of sustainable practices within the clinical space. As eco-dentists, we strive to maintain our resource consumption in line with nature’s economy. At Dentist Mandy, we actively work hard to reduce outgoing waste and promote the well-being of all those in our care by the conscious reduction of the chemicals used in our practice.

At all levels of our practice, we try to look responsibly at how we can help to promote a healthier environment and happier teeth!

We believe that small steps lead to big changes. 

Practically, here are some of the ways we embrace eco-dentistry in our Bondi dental practice:

• We grow some of our own vegetables in the backyard of our practice
• We use non toxic and biodegradable disinfectants 
• We ensure that we recycle, reduce and repair 
• We employ technologies which alleviate the need to use resources excessively (such as digital records, radiography and imaging)

Digital Technology and Eco Dentistry

The amount of paper consumed in the dental industry is enormous. Due to privacy regulations, patients’ paper records and communications cannot be recycled. This creates a huge amount of waste and adds to environmental stress as the paper needs to be burned or destroyed chemically. 

This is one of the reasons why we operate as a digital practice and only print when absolutely necessary!

Adopting new technologies is, in many ways, an integral part of eco-dentistry. Our practice houses state of the art imaging equipment including 3D scanners, which reduce the need for patients to travel outside the suburb. Using digital radiography reduces the amount of radiation exposure within our practice. It also removes the need for manual processing which requires harmful chemicals and developer.

Clean and Green

Green Dentistry involves looking at every process within your practice to audit where chemicals can be reduced or eliminated. At Dentist Mandy, we only use biodegradable disinfectants with organic compounds throughout our clinic.

Our cleaning products are intermediate-level disinfectants which are enzyme-free, biodegradable and free of volatile organic compounds.

Creating a safe and sterile environment is paramount to us. As technology develops we will look to implementing compostable tools and reusable covers and bibs too. Even now, advances are being made in research for recyclable surgical instruments.