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We’ve all seen the movies with some cool guy wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses as he casually chews on the toothpick hanging lazily from his mouth. Like many behaviors popular in the fifties, toothpicks are not as benign as they seem to be. Your teeth should be used exclusively for smiling and chewing food, and wood does not count as food unless you are a termite. Read on to learn about how frequent toothpick use can lead to an emergency trip to the dentist’s office, along with some better alternatives to consider.
Toothpicks Can Damage Your Gums
If you aren’t careful enough when using a toothpick, you can drive the point into your gums. Even idly gnawing on a toothpick can break away many tiny splinters that can drift around in your saliva before wedging themselves into your gum tissue. These bits of wood can lead to inflammation or infection, and the resulting gum disease can lead to tooth loss or secondary infections if it goes untreated. If you can’t remove a broken bit of toothpick that has been embedded in your gums, you may need to see a dentist to have it removed.
Toothpicks Can Damage Your Enamel
Wood is an incredibly durable and tenacious substance that your teeth cannot safely chew. Chewing on toothpicks will slowly wear away your enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to damage and infection. Bits of a toothpick can break off and get stuck between the teeth, which can erode your enamel and irritate the gums over an extended period.
Toothpicks Can Damage Dental Work
Braces, bridges, crowns, fillings, and veneers are all great ways to make a smile beautiful. Unfortunately, toothpicks can work their way under these appliances and stress the cement holding them in place. This can damage them or break them away from the teeth, which can make expensive and time-consuming repairs necessary.
While careful use of a toothpick can remove a troublesome bit of food from between your teeth on occasion, they are neither chew toys nor a proper oral hygiene appliance. If you need something to chew after a nice dinner, try a piece of sugar-free gum and leave oral hygiene to your toothbrush, dental floss, and antibacterial mouthwash. If traditional dental floss isn’t your style, you can try floss sticks or water flossers to clean between your teeth. There are plenty of ways to look cool while wearing a leather jacket without chewing on a toothpick.
About the Author
Dr. Francisca A. Sanchez earned her dental doctorate at the Columbia School of Dental Medicine before undergoing state-of-the-art training in dental implant placement from the University of Florida. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the New York State Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. Her office in New York, NY offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. For more information on proper oral hygiene, contact her office online or dial (646) 669-7407.