Every plastic toothbrush that we have ever used still exists somewhere on this planet. Plastic toothbrushes take nearly 400 years to decompose. Therefore, since the beginning of manufacturing of plastic toothbrushes in the 1930s, none of the toothbrushes have decomposed, which can added upto hundreds of billions of toothbrushes now. 

So the question arises—where are these billions of toothbrushes? The answer is simple. These toothbrushes either end up in landfills or in the oceans, causing plastic pollution. The toothbrushes that end up in the oceans are carried away by the waves for millions of miles. According to an article published by National Geographic, in any given Hawaii beach cleanup, he says, it’s not uncommon to pick up 20 or even 100 toothbrushes. A similar scenario can be observed on the beaches of Bali, Indonesia, and several other beaches around the world. But beaches aren't the only place where these plastic devils are carried to by the waters. Plastic toothbrushes can even end up inside marine animals causing their death. According to a study from Plymouth University, plastic pollution affects at least 700 marine species, while some estimates suggest that at least 100 million marine mammals are killed each year from plastic pollution.

Plastic-free alternatives of regular plastic toothbrushes exist but it's not accessible or even affordable, at times, to everyone around the world. Therefore, it is my urge to the leading toothbrush manufacturing brands to start manufacturing plastic-free toothbrushes and provide a plastic-free solution to their large consumer base. Then, we would be reduce plastic pollution significantly and make smaller negative impact on the environment. 

For further reference:

1.  https://www.google.com/amp/s/api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/environment/article/story-of-plastic-toothbrushe
2. https://www.foreo.com/mysa/how-toothbrushes-affect-environment-infographic/
3. https://www.dental-tribune.com/news/the-history-of-plastic-toothbrushes-and-how-they-pollute-our-planet/
4. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/plastic-toothbrushes-waste/
5. https://medium.com/@toothcrush/the-environment-the-oceans-and-your-toothbrush-9c418e1e0534