The Hidden Plastic Problem: Toothbrush Material as a Microplastic Source

Overview

I was interested in doing this project because microplastics could have profound impacts on destroying our health and environment. When brushing our teeth, microplastics are released from our toothbrushes. These microplastics can be swallowed by accident and cause serious health problems like oxidative stress, metabolic disorder, and affect the immune response. I believe that soft-bristle toothbrushes will release less microplastics due to their pliable characteristics. I brushed a dental tooth model for 2 minutes in a bowl of distilled water and then poured the water into the designated coffee filter that I had labeled in advance. I let the coffee filters dry overnight. The next day, I placed them under a microscope and counted the number of microplastics and noted down the results. The Oral-B medium toothbrush released the highest total amount of microplastics. The Colgate soft toothbrush released the lowest total amount of Microplastics, making it the best option for us to use. Both the Oral-B medium and the Colgate medium released more microplastics than their soft-bristle versions. The goal of this project was to determine the best types of toothbrushes for our teeth and health. Based on the results, soft-bristle toothbrushes, especially Colgate brushes, performed best by releasing the fewest microplastics during five trials. The results show that soft bristles release less microplastics. Bamboo handle brushes can release fewer or more microplastics, depending on the brand with which it is compared.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Product Science (Junior Division) · Entry J-19-17

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