Many products that we use every day are so familiar, and we have become so habituated to using them, that we never really stop to think about them. Toothpaste is one of them and one of the most frequently used in all our daily lives.
Since I started brushing my teeth, which, as far as I can remember, has been since I was a child, I have always used toothpaste in pretty much the same way till now. Squeeze some onto a toothbrush every morning and night, finish the tube, throw it away, and buy another one. I never really questioned it and no one around me did either. That was simply what toothpaste was.
During a recent visit to Eco Sathi Nepal’s Zero Waste Store at Babarmahal Revisited, I came across a rather different way of using toothpaste: Toothpaste Tablets. They are the newest addition to Eco Sathi Nepal's product line, so I was curious to see what they were actually like. I picked up a small glass jar to try, and they have since become part of my morning and evening brushing routine.
Although curiosity initially made me pick up the jar, it is the combination of convenience and, of course, the environmental aspect that has made me keep using them every day.
The Tooth Paste Tablets come in a small glass jar. They're compact enough to sit neatly beside the sink, and unlike a conventional toothpaste tube, you don't need to squeeze, roll, or even cut open the packaging to get the last bit out. So, in a small way, it has saved me some muscle effort too.
Each tablet is already portioned for one brushing, so I don't have to guess how much toothpaste to use. I simply pop one or two tablets into my mouth, chew it, wet my Eco Sathi Nepal bamboo toothbrush, and start brushing.
The first few times felt a little unusual because I have always used toothpaste from a tube. But I got used to it quickly after the first few brushes, and now it feels like a normal part of my routine.
Another thing I like is that I can roughly tell how much toothpaste I have left. With a regular tube, I usually only realize it is almost empty when I am just about to brush my teeth and have to squeeze it several times to get anything out. With the jar, I can simply look at the remaining tablets and know when I need to restock.
By the time there are only a few tablets left, I can count them and tell roughly how many days of brushing I have remaining. It makes planning when to refill much easier. I know I am not going to wake up one morning, ready to brush my teeth, only to find out that my toothpaste has run out.
The bigger reason I was interested in trying them was the waste associated with conventional toothpaste packaging.
Most toothpaste comes in disposable plastic tubes, which can be difficult to recycle because they are often made from several layers of different materials. Once the toothpaste is finished, the packaging generally has nowhere else to go but the bin and then finally into landfill. All the toothpaste I have used is long going to outlive me and many of my generations after.
The tablets take a different approach. Instead of using a new toothpaste tube every time, they come in a reusable glass jar. The container can be kept and reused or recycled, while the toothpaste itself is stored as small and dry tablets. I do not have to worry about microplastics seeping into the toothpaste like with those plastic tube ones.
The clear list of ingredients on the label means I know exactly what I’m putting on my teeth, without the concern of toxic ingredients or microplastics.
It might seem like a small thing, but we use toothpaste every single day. That makes it an interesting product to rethink. A small reduction in packaging waste, repeated every day and across many households, can add up. And it's a great way of getting your oral hygiene set in the best way.
Of course, no single product is going to solve the problem of plastic waste. But I like to think that sustainable living often works through these smaller changes: finding alternatives to disposable products without having to give up the things we already need.
The small jar is also convenient outside the bathroom because the toothpaste is in tablet form, It means no liquid toothpaste that can leak inside a toiletry bag and make a mess in my suitcase. The tablets are compact, and the jar itself doesn't take up much space.
I can also take the number of tablets I need rather than carrying a large tube of toothpaste when travelling. Since I travel quite often, the jar of chewable toothpaste tablets has been really convenient for me.
After using the tablets for a while, the biggest difference I notice is really the process before brushing. With regular toothpaste, you squeeze some onto your toothbrush and start brushing. With the Tooth Paste Tablet, you chew first.
Once I start brushing, though, the difference feels much smaller. The tablet breaks down and gives me the toothpaste consistency I need, and I can brush normally.
So far, I have also been happy with how it feels to use as part of my daily oral-care routine. My mouth feels clean after brushing, and I have noticed that my breath feels fresher for longer. I haven't had any issues with the tablets replacing my regular toothpaste, and my overall oral health has been good while using them. I also use them during the day when I need fresher breath but don't have my toothbrush with me. I simply pop a tablet, chew it, rinse with water, and get going.
And I think that is important when reviewing a sustainable alternative. If something requires too much effort or feels inconvenient, it is difficult to imagine using it consistently. In this case, the adjustment was minor enough that it became part of my routine fairly quickly.
I love that Toothpaste Tablet combines environmental benefits with convenience.
The small glass jar reduces the need for disposable toothpaste tubes, but it also happens to be neat and compact. The tablets are already portioned, and the jar lets me see exactly how much toothpaste I have left. The glass jar, its label and the lid; everything is recyclable.
None of these things is particularly revolutionary on its own. Together, though, they make the product feel thoughtfully designed and it just makes sense.
I also like that it works well with the rest of my oral-care routine. I use my water flosser first, followed by the Tooth Paste Tablet and my Eco Sathi Nepal bamboo toothbrush. I haven't had to completely rethink how I take care of my teeth. I have simply replaced a small part of the routine.
I picked up the Tooth Paste Tablet from Eco Sathi Nepal at Babarmahal Revisited mainly because I was curious. I wanted to know what it would feel like to brush my teeth with a tablet instead of toothpaste from a tube.
After using it every morning and night, I can say the experience has been much easier than I expected. The small glass jar is convenient, the tablets are easy to portion, I can see how many I have left, and I no longer have to deal with squeezing toothpaste out of a tube. At the same time, the format offers a simple way to reduce disposable packaging.
One thing I would like to see in the future is more flavour options. The current tablet has a very neutral taste, which I don't mind, but flavours such as mint or other fresh options would make the experience really enjoyable and better.
For me, that is what makes the Tooth Paste Tablet worth trying. I did not need to make a major lifestyle change. I just found a different way to do something I was already doing twice a day. Sometimes a more sustainable choice doesn't have to be complicated. It can be as simple as opening a small glass jar instead of squeezing a tube.
Visit Eco Sathi Nepal's Zero Waste Store at Babarmahal Revisited and give Tooth Paste Tablets a try. I highly recommend it to everyone.
