If we assume that people change their toothbrush roughly every three months, that means we are throwing away about 200 million toothbrushes each year in the UK. It can take a long time for these to degrade – estimates seem to be between 400 and 1000 years!
Why not try a bamboo toothbrush which has a compostable handle? Although not perfect – as the bristles are still likely to be plastic (cut them off when you have finished with the brush) – they are considerably better than the plastic alternative. There are lots of brands available online and they are also available in many shops.
If you use an electric toothbrush you can consider using recyclable brush heads. There are several companies online who will send you heads that are compatible with your toothbrush – once you have used them you send them back to the company so they can be recycled.