Bamboo Toothbrush vs Plastic: What the Research Shows

A bamboo toothbrush swaps the usual plastic handle for bamboo. The bristles are a different story, and most people never ask what they are made of. This guide covers whether bamboo brushes clean as well as plastic ones, what charcoal bristles do, and how often to replace one.

We sell a bamboo toothbrush with charcoal bristles, so read this with that in mind. Where the evidence is thin, or where our own product page says something the sources do not support, this guide says so. If you are cutting plastic elsewhere in the bathroom, see our natural loofah vs synthetic sponge comparison.

What Is a Bamboo Toothbrush, and What Are the Bristles Made Of?

A bamboo toothbrush has a bamboo handle, and in almost every case nylon bristles. Only the handle is the natural material, so check what the maker says about the bristles before you assume otherwise.

Colgate says the earliest toothbrushes were made in China from bamboo and other natural materials, and that today's bamboo toothbrushes use nylon for the bristles like most toothbrushes. It adds that some makers still use boar hair or infuse the bristles with activated charcoal, and that fully natural bristles tend to be rougher than nylon, which could wear enamel and contribute to receding gums. The bamboo brush in the 2024 trial below had plastic bristles. Our reading: the handle is where the swap happens.

Do Bamboo Toothbrushes Clean as Well as Plastic?

In the two trials we found, yes: the bamboo brushes cleaned about as well as plastic ones. Both trials are small, and neither tested a charcoal-bristle brush.

• The adult trial: A 2024 study in Medical Science Monitor followed 30 people aged 18 to 35 for 8 weeks, using a bamboo-handled brush with plastic bristles, a miswak brush or a standard nylon brush. Plaque and gum scores fell in all groups, and the authors report no significant plaque difference between the brushes.
• The children's trial: A 2025 study in the International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry followed 150 children aged 6 to 12 for 3 months, using plastic, bamboo or neem brushes. All three groups improved, and the authors conclude natural brushes were as effective as conventional ones.
• Limits of both: The 2024 authors list a small sample and note that modern brushes have designed bristle patterns their test brushes did not copy. In the 2025 study the groups started at different plaque scores, so its ranking of bamboo above plastic is not a clean comparison, and its authors say more studies are needed.
• Our reading: A bamboo handle does not appear to change how well a brush cleans. Technique, time and bristle firmness probably matter more.

Do Bamboo Toothbrushes Grow More Mold or Bacteria?

Not in the one trial that counted bacteria, but the evidence is thin and the sources point both ways. What you do after brushing probably matters more than the handle.

• The count: In the 2024 trial, bristles were cultured after use. The bamboo-handled brushes averaged about 61 colonies per plate, against about 245 for the standard nylon brush, roughly four times fewer.
• The fungus finding: The 2025 children's paper cites another study that found more Candida on bamboo brushes than plastic ones, though the difference was not statistically significant. We could not read that study itself.
• Care, according to the ADA: MouthHealthy, the ADA's consumer site, says to rinse the brush with tap water, store it upright and let it air dry. It says not to cover brushes or keep them in closed containers, because a moist closed space is more conducive to unwanted bacteria than open air.

Do Charcoal Bristles Clean Better or Cut Bacteria?

Possibly fewer bacteria on the bristles, but we found no study showing charcoal bristles clean teeth better. The one study we found looked only at the brush, not at the mouth.

• What the study found: A 2018 study in Contemporary Clinical Dentistry had 50 patients use a charcoal brush for a week and, after a washout week, a non-charcoal brush for a week. Bristles from the non-charcoal brushes carried almost double the bacterial colonies, and the charcoal bristles showed a larger zone of inhibition in the lab, about 10 millimetres against 3.
• What it did not measure: Plaque, gum health and cavities were not part of the study. Bacteria on a used brush are not the same as bacteria in your mouth. It also covered one week of use, not months.
• Our reading: Fewer bacteria on the bristles is plausible from one study. It is not evidence that the charcoal does anything for your teeth or gums, and the ADA's replacement advice is unchanged.

Do Charcoal Toothbrushes Whiten Teeth?

We found no human trial showing they do. The nearest evidence is a lab study on coffee stains and a review of charcoal toothpaste, and neither supports the claim.

• The 2026 lab study: A 2026 study in the Journal of Dental Hygiene stained 48 enamel samples with coffee and brushed them with electric brushes with or without charcoal bristles. Both bristle types removed the stain, and charcoal-bristled brushes did not outperform ordinary ones. Adding toothpaste raised the whitening effect but also left the enamel rougher. This was in a lab, on electric brushes.
• The toothpaste review: A 2017 review in the Journal of the American Dental Association looked at charcoal toothpastes, not bristles, and found insufficient clinical and laboratory data to back their safety and efficacy claims. It also found online ads made unsubstantiated claims, and advised dentists to counsel caution.
• Our reading: If whiter teeth are the goal, a charcoal-bristle brush is not a proven route. Ask a dentist about stains instead of relying on the bristles.

Is a Bamboo Toothbrush Better for the Environment?

In the one life-cycle study we found, a bamboo brush had a lower impact than a standard plastic brush over five years. The bristles remain a plastic-type material in most designs, so the handle is only part of the picture.

• The assessment: A 2020 life-cycle study in the British Dental Journal compared a traditional plastic brush, an electric brush, a plastic brush with replaceable heads and a bamboo brush over five years. The bamboo and replaceable-head brushes had the lowest impact in every category, and the electric brush's climate impact was 11 times that of the bamboo brush.
• What it does not settle: It modelled particular brushes, and it does not say what happens to nylon bristles once the handle is disposed of. Ask the maker what to do with the bristles at the end of the brush's life before putting any part in compost.

How Often Should You Replace a Bamboo Toothbrush?

Every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles look frayed or matted. The ADA gives the same advice for every kind of toothbrush.

The ADA says effectiveness decreases as bristles wear. It also advises choosing a soft-bristled brush, saying firm or even medium bristles may damage gums and enamel. The listing on our own product page describes the bristles as medium, which does not match that advice, so we are flagging it here and reviewing it. Until then, treat the firmness as something to check before you buy, from any brand.

How Do You Choose and Care for a Bamboo Toothbrush?

Choose soft bristles, rinse it, and let it dry upright. The steps below combine the ADA's advice with what the studies above found.

1. Choose soft bristles. The ADA recommends soft-bristled brushes for manual and powered toothbrushes alike.
2. Ask what the bristles are made of. Most are nylon. If a maker says its bristles are natural or charcoal-infused, look for what backs that up.
3. Rinse after brushing. Rinse with tap water to remove toothpaste and debris.
4. Store it upright and let it air dry. Keep it out of closed containers and covers, and separate it from other brushes.
5. Do not share it. The ADA notes sharing a toothbrush can also share germs.
6. Replace it every three to four months. Replace it sooner if the bristles are frayed or matted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are bamboo toothbrushes as good as plastic ones?

In an 8-week trial of 30 people, a bamboo-handled brush and a nylon brush showed no significant difference in plaque. The bamboo brush had plastic bristles, and the trial was small.

What are the bristles on a bamboo toothbrush made of?

Usually nylon, according to Colgate. Some brands use boar hair or charcoal-infused bristles, so check the maker's description before you buy.

Do charcoal toothbrushes whiten teeth?

We found no human trial showing they do. A 2026 lab study found charcoal-bristled electric brushes removed coffee stains no better than ordinary bristles.

How often should you replace a bamboo toothbrush?

The ADA says every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed or matted. That is the same for plastic, bamboo and charcoal brushes.

Do bamboo toothbrushes get moldy?

We found no study measuring mold on bamboo handles. The ADA says to rinse the brush, store it upright, let it air dry and not to keep it covered in a closed container.

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