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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters turn off their faucets every day while scrubbing their teeth, in a year we'll save enough H2O to grow wheat for nearly 160,000 loaves of bread.
COCKTAIL FACT
10,000 gallons: that's the amount of saliva a mouth produces in an average lifetime.
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home › tip library › Saving Water
What step did your dental hygienist forget to mention?
The Bite
They prolly left out the part where you're supposed to turn off the faucet while you're brushing. Doing it saves bucketfuls of water, and it's easier than getting at those hard-to-reach molars.The Benefits
- Showing your eco-wisdom (teeth). Turning off your faucet while you brush saves about 2 gallons per brushing session - and the United States is currently experiencing its biggest drought in 500 years.
- Taking a bite outta your water bill. You'll save a few pennies off your water bill each month.
Personally Speaking
Saving even more water, Jenifer doesn't wet her toothbrush before putting on the 'paste and starts brushing "dry." The rest of us think that's kind of weird.Wanna Try?
- We swear it's not that hard: Nudge the handle with your free hand.
Aug 05,2008
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Pavlovian Brushing
I remember marveling at European friends who, instead of rinsing their soapy dishes with water, simply wiped them off with a towel. "What's the point?" was their response.
That's how I feel about getting my toothbrush wet before brushing - it's not like I'm brushing with the gravelly polish the dentist uses. Toothpaste + saliva = same cleaning result + additional water savings. Tip: After applying paste to brush, envision a fresh-out-of-the-oven maple bar.
-Jenifer...off to drool...
Biter Comments...
Jenifer, I don't think you are weird at all...and I guess I am even more eco-friendly than I thought: I have never wet my toothbrush before brushing (in fact, I hate brushing with a wet toothbrush), and I do not run the water while I brush as well.
The European dish thing though? That's just nasty.
Another "dry" brusher here- what's the point of wetting the brush? . . (and ditto on the soapy dishes are icky) . .
Ditto for dry toothbrush - it's firmer that way.
If we thought about how little potable (drinkable) water there is in the world, its easier to not just let it run down the drain. In the future we'll be flushing toilets with reclaimed water instead of the drinking water we use now!
Actually, you can sign the pledge to "Save 90 a Day" at http://www.ecodentistry.org/
That is 90 glasses of water which equals about 2 gallons.
Some dentists and hygienists are all about it!
The toothpaste and mouthwash my dentist recommends are all "dry," meaning they are meant to be used without water. It was weird at first, but now I'm used to it. The products are more effective because they aren't rinsed away.
I turn on the water only at the end to rinse my brush and the sink.
"Prolly"..."Prolly" ... et tu Ideal Bite? Et tu?
Why? Why?
"Bucketfuls," eh? Hmmm. I wonder what THAT's referring to...
I've heard that not wetting your tooth brush actually helps with whitening...I don't think it's weird at all to not wet your toothbrush!
The dishes thing though...hm.
after reading this I'm sure going to try it, sounds like it would really make a difference. Time to break a bad habit :)
Do people seriously let the water run while they're brushing their teeth???
What I think is needed is foot-operated taps/faucets, both in the bathroom and kitchen. That way, people wouldn't have the excuse of not having a hand free to turn the tap on and off between rinsing (dishes or toothbrushes or mouth). Anyone interested in inventing something like this for household use? Some trains and airplanes used to have them, but they were pretty unuser-friendly.
I've been brushing my teeth without using water until I rinse for quite some time now. You don't need to wet the brush beforehand. Some tooth brushing products actually suggest you use this method because the paste works better that way.
I find that brushing while showering is an easy route too. The water is rinsing me off and I can catch some of the spray on the brush.
I was raised to put a little water in a cup and use that to brush and rinse. You end up using about 2 ounces of water.
I like the foot tap idea for turning the water off.
Brushing in the shower seems like it would just prolong the shower.
I put water in my cup I'm gonna rinse with. Then I dip my toothbrush in it to get it wet. Then I apply paste then brush. Then use water in cup to rinse!
Great idea about the foot pedal for the faucet, Mary C.! I'm surprised that no one's already thought of that and implemented it.
Personally, I can't imagine brushing my teeth with a DRY toothbrush! It just doesn't sound appealing, and wetting your toothbrush doesn't take all THAT much water. SHEESH! Now, as for turning off the faucet WHILE you brush, that's a different matter. That makes sense to me from a water-wastage standpoint if not from a cost standpoint. See, I live out in the country and have a well, so I don't have a water bill.
Yes, Rebecca! This "prolly" business is just awful. Why can't people just use the word "probably." It isn't that hard. Do people say "prolly" when they're speaking? If anything, I'd think the lazy slang would be "probbly." Oh, you're making this English major groan.
I always wash my face right after brushing my teeth, turning the water to warm while I rinse. That way by the time my teeth are done, the water has gotten warm enough for my face!
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Dana | August 05, 2008 at 06:48 AM