If you’re on social media at all these days, chances are you've seen someone calling out how bad plastic straws are for the environment.  And with good f-ing reason! Plastic straws fall into a category of plastic items called 'single use' (for obvious reasons, although kudos to you if you wash and reuse your straws!). This means that they are bad pollutants and very toxic to the environment. Anything that's made of plastic and only used for 20 minutes before being tossed is super wasteful. But how do straws measure up with toothbrushes? Let's compare… Plastic Straws This article from phys.org claims: Straws make up about 4 percent of the plastic trash by piece, but far less by weight. Straws on average...

In this blog post we compare the environmental impact of a drugstore toothbrush with bamboo and Grin toothbrushes to see which is most sustainable.

Take a short trip with me. Imagine for a second that you’re 20 years in the future. Flying cars, refrigerators that order food for you… what? That's next year? 

Hola! We've talked about how important good oral health is before. Everyone knows maintaining good oral health starts with regular brushing. But what many people forget (or just don't know) is that good oral health starts with a clean toothbrush that isn't worn out.  That's why we automate toothbrush replacement. You're busy and remembering when you bought your toothbrush is a near impossible task in today's frantic world of email, social and oh yeah—life. The following infographic is a pretty simple depiction of the direct correlation between oral hygiene and your overall health. Take better care of your oral health—get started with a Grin subscription today. Thanks for reading! The Health Connection Between Your Mouth & Body was created by...

Interested in the history of the toothbrush? Well, you're in luck! From chew sticks to manual toothbrushes made with horsehair, the infographic below has the complete history in a spiffy visual. Looking for something more in depth that you can sink your teeth into (sorry!), then head over here and check out the Museum of Everyday Life's “The Sordid History of the Toothbrush”. Enjoy!  

Howdy!  Welcome to the blog. This is a blog about grin, the making of, the challenges and tips on how to improve your oral care. Note: I am NOT a Dentist and don't pretend to be. Any advice you find here about dental care is either what my Dentist told me, or what I've read online. So please don’t try any at home DIY root canals based on anything I wrote. You've been warned. The bigger idea is for this blog to be about more than toothbrushes. I hope to also write about the design of everyday objects, and how they affect us and the planet. But I'm just starting and can’t guarantee anything. Except typos and bad grammar of course. I hope...

This post is to let you know what we stand for and why. (I hope it doesn't turn into this.) These days too many companies are built with one goal in mind: the bottom line. Profit is obviously key to running a successful business, but I believe companies need to be more responsible for the products they make. Sure, I’m an idealist, but I'd love if it businesses thought about the lifecycle of their product as well as the profit margins. Plastic, drug store toothbrushes are a perfect example. Once used for a few months, they’ll sit in landfills and oceans for hundreds of years. (Note: Grin uses ~85% less plastic than toothbrushes that are completely disposable. And, I hope to move to a completely biodegradable brush head in the near future.) The good news is...

Subscription products are becoming popular for people who don’t want to waste time shopping for staples like razors, or toothbrushes. Why? Subscriptions typically let you replenish products automatically, so you don’t have to waste time going to a crowded store to find and buy a mundane item like a toothbrush. Is there anything more annoying than having to stop off at the grocery store to pick up one item on your way home from work?  That’s why we made Grin a subscription toothbrush.  As much as we love toothbrushes and oral care, even we admit that people shouldn’t have to ever think about having a clean toothbrush on hand. You see a well-designed product is more than how nice it looks and how well...

How much do you really think about brushing your teeth? If you’re like me, then probably not a lot. Let's be honest – this is not a sexy subject. But—it's an important one if you care about your health (or don't love going to the dentist). We brush every day but so many of us don’t take care of out toothbrushes, which can lead to cavities and can even make you sick. We’re here to make sure you avoid these problems. Here are a few of the things you should do to get the most out of your toothbrush. Store Your Toothbrush Properly You may just chuck your toothbrush in a glass or leave it on the sink when you’re done. No big deal, right?...

Let’s talk about disposable, drug store toothbrushes. They're cheap, colourful and they clean your teeth. But they’re really badly designed. Here’s why. First off, they're covered in grooves and ridges, which, I can only assume are for grip. If you rely on those grooves to prevent your toothbrush from flying out of your hand and sailing across the bathroom, then I have some news for you: you’re brushing way too hard. What those grooves actually do is fill up with old toothpaste, saliva and germs. Take a look at your toothbrush after you've brushed for a few weeks and you'll see what I mean.  Also, why are they so curvy and 'ergonomic' looking? Again I assume this is for grip....