Leading oral health brand, TePe, continues its commitment to sustainability with the launch of TePe Choice, an innovative new toothbrush featuring a reusable beechwood handle and three changeable bio-plastic brush heads.

TePe is dedicated to developing more sustainable products, without compromising on function and quality, and TePe Choice does just that.

The bio-plastic brush head is produced in TePe’s factory in Sweden using a Mass Balance approach[1], resulting in a lower carbon footprint. Replacing only the brush head, rather than the full toothbrush every three months, helps to reduce plastic waste, and the bristles are made from renewable raw material, castor oil, for gentle cleaning.

The Swedish-grown beechwood handle, which is produced by a local wood carver, is FSC certified and has a plant-based coating to minimise the absorption of water, allowing the product to withstand 9 months in a bathroom environment.

Sustainability concerns are fast becoming a driving factor in consumer decision making, with research^[2] finding that 89% of consumers would be more likely to buy from a brand that values sustainability. A further 94% are looking for better information about the environmental impact of the products and services they buy.

TePe is answering this call, not only with more sustainable products, but also through its values and practices. TePe has made a commitment to integrate sustainability in everything it does and have an impact on driving this throughout the dental industry.

Kelly Field, Brand Manager at TePe UK, said: “TePe Choice is our response to increasing demand for more sustainable options. Environmentally friendly toothbrushes are one of the fastest growing subsegments of the oral hygiene market. We believe TePe Choice will take this sector to the next level, providing a high quality, long-lasting and more sustainable toothbrush.

“Designed to make good choices easier, TePe Choice demonstrates to consumers how making a small change in our everyday lives can have a real impact in supporting a more sustainable future.

“This is just the start for 2023, which will be another exciting year of green-driven growth at TePe, as we thread sustainability throughout our product development and strive towards all packaging being 100% recyclable or renewable by 2025.”

TePe Choice comes in 100% recyclable packaging and a range of four colours (pink, green, blue, and grey). The toothbrush is available to buy now at major multiples, Lloyds Pharmacy, other leading chemists, dental wholesalers and TePeDirect.com (RRP: £6.95).

For more information, contact TePe or speak to your brand representative.

References

[1] The Mass Balance process is independently audited by the ISCC and uses  existing plastic manufacturing infrastructure but with more sustainable raw materials.

[2] Getting Greener: The Sustainability Shift

Leading oral hygiene brand TePe, has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the link between good oral health and overall wellbeing, and educate consumers about the importance of maintaining a healthy smile.

The “Behind Your Smile” campaign comes after a new survey revealed that less than half (48%) of UK adults are aware that poor oral hygiene is linked to long-term health conditions.

As part of the campaign, TePe has teamed up with a panel of health experts, including GP Dr Sarah Jarvis, gut health expert Dr Megan Rossi and Amanda Sheehan, Dental Therapist & Clinical Support Specialist at TePe to highlight how a healthy smile can contribute to the health of the rest of the body.

The experts have worked with TePe to create a downloadable toolkit packed with information and advice about good oral health and its link to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, poor gut health, arthritis, and mouth cancer.

GP Dr Sarah Jarvis said: “When we think of the benefits of looking after our oral health, it’s fillings and root canals which normally spring to mind, but the benefits extend much wider than your smile.”

“Poor oral hygiene has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Similarly, as those with type 2 diabetes, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are more likely than someone without to develop dental issues or gum disease, maintaining good oral hygiene is all the more important for people with these conditions.”

To inform the campaign, TePe surveyed a nationally representative sample of UK adults to uncover the nation’s smile habits. As well as highlighting a lack of understanding about the relationship between a healthy smile and healthy body, the survey revealed that over half (59%) of UK adults feel self-conscious about their smile, with three-quarters (74%) blaming it on the appearance of their teeth.

Amanda Sheehan, Dental Therapist and Clinical Support Specialist at TePe, added: “There is so much our smiles can reveal about our underlying health. With periodontitis linked to many other conditions in the body, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, it’s vital that patients understand how to keep gum disease at bay.”

“Although awareness of regular dental appointments and brushing teeth twice a day is high, unfortunately, many people do not know that most dental disease start between the teeth, where food and plaque accumulate.”

“Through the Behind Your Smile campaign, we hope to inform consumers about good oral health and inspire them to adopt better oral care routines at home, including cleaning between the teeth daily with interdental brushes, floss or dental tape.”

For more information, visit: https://www1.tepe.com/uk/behind-your-smile/