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The Toothbrush

Episode 2 of 3

Designer and materials engineer Zoe Laughlin explores the science - and conducts her own experiments - behind creating a more sustainable solution for brushing our teeth.

Designer, maker and materials engineer Zoe Laughlin explores an item so ubiquitous that most of us don鈥檛 give it a moment鈥檚 thought - the toothbrush. With 200 milion thrown away each year in the UK, she鈥檚 on a mission to find a more sustainable solution.

In search of inspiration, she heads to Sweden鈥檚 impressive low-impact mega-factory Tepe, where handles made from sugar-cane-based plastic are ahead of the pack. She explores bespoke production techniques, employing 3D-laser sintering, and dips into the archives of the British Dental Association, revealing the light-bulb moment when the modern brush was hit upon in a prison cell.

Turning to toothpaste itself, pioneering scientists are using bio-active glass to get more fluoride to our teeth. Unconventional options used at Lush Cosmetic鈥檚 Willy Wonker-style lab get Zoe's taste buds tingling, before she reveals her final toothbrush and alternative 'paste'. Both are uniquely Zoe - and just a bit bonkers - but they could also provide a very real eco-friendly answer to our daily brushing needs.

59 minutes

Last on

Wed 29 Mar 2023 00:25

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Zoe Laughlin
Editor Bernard Pearson
Editor Gill Abraham
Executive Producer Sarah Trigg
Executive Producer Maia Liddell
Producer Jake Clifford
Producer Ekta Walia
Director Darren Coates
Director Paul Kittel
Production Company Wonder

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