Aloe Vera Dental Studio goes Greener!
We thought we would share with you 10 things that we are doing at the practice to be more environmentally friendly.
Disclaimer- As a medical setting, hygiene and cross contamination will always be something that we prioritise and take very seriously, so for certain areas within the practice we are aware and appreciate that we are not very eco friendly, but we are trying to make up for it in other areas where possible.
1. We do not offer Amalgam (Silver) Fillings.
From the day that Aloe Vera Dental Studio began, we made the conscious decision to only offer white fillings. This wasn't done just because they look nicer, Amalgam fillings contain mercury which really isn't good for us or the environment. Our Principle dentist Mozhgan felt that it wouldn't be right to offer a treatment that she doesn't particularly agree with, and we are so pleased that she made that decision!
2. Digital X-rays
This is something else that has been used since Aloe Vera Dental Studio opened. By using digital x-rays the amount of radiation sent up to the universe is reduced by 90%. It also avoids the use of toxic processing chemicals and lead foils.
3. Trying to be more 'Paperless'
This one is still very much a working progress! But we are starting off by printing the bare minimum. A way that our patients could really help us out with this one, would be to provide us with a contact email address (we promise we won't spam you with marketing information unless you really want us to!). This way appointment reminders can be emailed rather than posted.
4. Autoclavable metal trays
We have stopped using single use plastic trays, and instead we are using metal trays that are sterilised after every use. This in turn has reduced our waste a great deal.
5. Reusable Water bottles
Our staff are encouraged and continue to use reusable water bottles here at the practice. This one hasn't gone unnoticed either...We receive lots of comments on our bottles, particularly at the front desk. This was such an easy change to implement.
6. Refillable packs
We always order the refillable packs of disinfection wipes instead of ordering the whole plastic tub. This has continued to reduce the amount of plastic waste that we produce at the practice for a long period of time now.
7. Paper Straws
This may seem like a strange one for a dental practice, but during long dental treatments, we will often take a five minute break, and offer our patient a drink of water to stay hydrated. When your mouth is super numb from the injections, drinking from a cup can be very difficult so using a straw can help! Like many companies have done, we have stopped buying plastic straws and switched to paper straws.
8. Floss Picks = Temporary
We have started advising our patients to try and switch to floss. Although floss picks are a great way to start off and to get into the habit of inter-dental cleaning, they produce so much waste plastic and should only be used temporarily.
9. Recycle/Reuse cardboard boxes
Any deliveries we receive at the practice, tends to be in a cardboard box. We re-use these cardboard boxes where possible and anything that can not be used, we recycle.
10. Bamboo Inter-dental brushes
We are currently in the process of switching over to bamboo, biodegradable inter-dental brushes. We have used Tepe brushes for such a long time and this switch has been so refreshing! Inter-dental brushes are key to maintaining good oral hygiene, however they produce so much waste plastic. When we saw Piksters being introduced we just knew instantly that we needed them at the practice.
They have a sustainably grown bamboo handle, 100% recycled biodegradable packaging and are naturally anti-microbial. We also advise that if you take good care of your inter-dental brushes, they can be used more than once, and do not need to be discarded after one use.
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