How to Work Water Conservation into Oral Care

In a world that is roughly 75 percent water, around one percent in total is clean enough to be used. While there is only so much one person can do to help any type of conservation effort—some have admittedly more time to worry about these things than others—it is possible to contribute something, no matter how small, toward water conservation in various ways, and people can do them all while simply brushing their teeth.

The benefits of reducing water use go beyond contributing to the environment – it also lowers the utility bill and helps preserve water tables for those who use wells. Being aware of one’s water use while brushing can save many gallons of water per day. So, here are a few ways to reduce water usage while going about your daily oral health care routine.

Run Faucet Just When Rinsing

Rather than just letting the water run, turn off the water until it’s needed. According to the EPA, running water during the roughly two minutes people brush their teeth can use up to four gallons at a time—twice per day would go through up to eight gallons or 200 gallons per month. Simply turning water off between dampening a toothbrush and rinsing saves a considerable amount of water, and all it takes is breaking an old habit and forming a new one.

Use Reusable Cups

Avoid using your hands to cup water and drink it for rinsing, as this can cause some water to go to waste down the drain. Try using a cup to catch water instead, preferably a plastic one that can be washed in the dishwasher and not a disposable paper one.

Use All the Water

Avoid letting water run before moistening a toothbrush or filling a rinsing cup, which might be something people do to give the water time to warm up or cool down. In this case, the extra water can still be conserved if caught in a second cup, which can be used for watering plants, filling up a dog's water bowl, or storing in the fridge to use later.

Look for Leaks

For this conservation method, saving water and protecting a home’s integrity go hand in hand. A person’s daily oral health care routine is a perfect time for inspecting a sink’s faucet or pipes to see if water is escaping every time it runs. A couple drops per day from a leaking faucet can cause hundreds of gallons of water to be wasted over an entire year. If there is any dripping from your faucet after it’s been turned off, the faucet should be repaired or replaced.

Review Plumbing

Overall, it's wise to replace a home's older faucets with modern, water-friendlier faucets. Per the United States Geological Survey (USGS), recent models use roughly half the gallons of water per minute that older appliances use. Replacing outdated plumbing can save a substantial amount of water each year, which will save money and benefit the environment.

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