Our Recycling Program

Through Terracycle, we are able to accept toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, mouthwash bottles, deodorant, soap wrappers and floss containers for recycling. We box these and send them to be recycled and remade into new products.

You can recycle too!

Don’t want to hold on to your oral care products until your next appointment? No problem! You can start your own collection of oral care products to be sent for recycling. Visit www.terracycle.com and learn about their options. You can even get your friends, relatives, neighbors and coworkers to help you fill your bin!

Electric Toothbrushes and WaterPiks

There are certain products that cannot be accepted through terracycle. These include electric toothbrushes and waterpiks.  Most electric toothbrushes contain rechargeable batteries in the base of the brush that must be removed and recycled separately.  Once the parts have been disassembled then they can be accepted by the City of Madison.  Visit https://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/recycling/ to find the proper drop off location for your products.  

SureSmile/Invisalign Retainers

Once you have finished your entire clear aligner treatment, bring the used trays back and we can recycle them for you. You can also return your worn nightguards, athletic guards and bleaching trays once you no longer need them.

Other Low-waste options

Proper recycling of electric toothbrushes and water flossers can be complicated and time consuming. One option is to purchase products that are produced in such a way to be easy to recycle and create less waste.

Toothbrushes

While most toothbrushes can be recycled through Terracycle, some companies offer brushes that create less waste from the beginning. Both EcoDent and Radius make a toothbrush with a replaceable head. The head of the brush can be recycled and the handle is reusable. This saves from having to send handles for plastics processing and recycling. You can find these products at www.eco-dent.com and www.madebyradius.com   

Quip is a company that makes electric toothbrushes. The battery in their toothbrushes is easy to remove and replace unlike more traditional toothbrushes that have a built in battery.  This allows you to use your own rechargeable battery or they can provide one for you as part of their “go green” package.  Now you will not be in the situation where the brush is functionable but the rechargeable battery is dead rendering the whole unit unusable. You can find these at www.getquip.com

Waterpiks and Water Flossers

Electric waterpiks and water flossers have similar challenges to the traditional electric toothbrushes when it comes to recycling. Another option is to use a water flosser that is not powered by electricity!

Oral Breeze has created a water flosser that attaches to either your sink tap or directly to your shower. This uses the pressure from the faucet to power the water, no batteries required! You can find more details at www.oralbreeze.com

Another option that is more portable is the Pocket Flosser. This is a water flosser that is powered by a pump you can operate with your hand.  This is a great option for people who are often on the go and do not want to take their large bathroom-based water flosser along for the ride. You can get more information on these products at www.pocketflosserusa.com. Once again, no batteries required!