Most people think using a toothpick to clean their teeth is harmless. After all, just about no one looks forward to flossing so why not use a toothpick instead? There are plenty of reasons to avoid toothpicks altogether.
Here:
Below, we explain why it is a mistake to use a toothpick to clean your teeth.
Toothpicks are not Safe
Having little bits of food stuck between the teeth is incredibly frustrating. We have all been there. The appropriate response to this discomfort is to floss the teeth. Even if you do not want to floss your entire mouth, flossing the teeth in which the bits of food are will suffice. Flossing is a vastly superior option to something like a toothpick.
While a toothpick can be effective every now and then if you do not have floss, there is a risk of using a toothpick. People should not use toothpicks on a daily basis or even a weekly basis. Toothpicks are small pieces of wood that have the potential to break. If the toothpick breaks, wood can splinter, break and become stuck in the gums.
If you puncture your gum tissue with the toothpick, it opens a clear path for bacteria to move in and spur an infection. In fact, dentists can usually tell if a patient uses toothpicks as the gum damage is evident during dental exams.
Is It Ever Acceptable to use a Toothpick?
If you are in a pinch and cannot access floss, using a toothpick to dislodge food from your teeth is acceptable. However, you should not use toothpicks with regularity. For the most part, dentists agree toothpicks should only be used as a last resort for especially large pieces of food lodged between the teeth.
Small bits of food will prove difficult to dislodge from the teeth if you rely on a toothpick. You might end up spending 5-10 minutes poking around, trying to eliminate the pesky little bit of food only to end up piercing your gum tissue and dealing with a nasty infection.
The best approach is to carry floss in your purse, car, backpack or another carrying case. This way, you can floss your teeth after each meal. Even if you simply snack on something like popcorn or corn, you will be able to floss away from the few stray pieces of food that end up between your teeth.
Are There Alternative Solutions to Toothpicks and Floss?
For some people, it is not realistic to carry floss everywhere they go. As detailed above, toothpicks are a legitimate threat to oral health. Floss picks and soft picks are better options than wooden toothpicks. These alternative options have tiny rubber tips at the ends that do not pose a threat to the teeth or gums.
What’s next?
With regular brushing and flossing, you can help keep your teeth healthy. Give Roman Khodosh DDS PC a call today at (973) 542-7597, we can help keep your teeth clean with regular appointments and act as a source of information for any other oral health issues you experience.
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WE ARE NOW OPEN FOR ALL GENERAL, IMPLANT and COSMETIC DENTISTRY procedures as well as Emergency Dentistry! With updated Safety Protocol.
Weekdays 10-6, every other Saturday 8-2, and Every other Thursday during July and August.
On top of our usual strict sterilization policy, we went above and beyond CDC and ADA recommendations to ensure a top notch SAFE and CLEAN office for you, our clients and my team.
Here are just some of the additional things and protocols that we have been doing since beginning of May, 2020 and what you will see when you come in to minimize the risk of spreading the virus.
We are screening every patient even before they come for possible signs or symptoms of Covid 19 and or recent exposure contacts. If any symptoms are present, patients are respectfully asked not to come in and quarantine themselves until symptoms free
We have increased the time for each appointment and only schedule limited number of patients at a time to:
Decrease wait time
Minimize close space interactions and possible unnecessary risk of exposure in the waiting room.
We have always taken sterilization seriously and everything goes through a very strict and thorough process. On top we now perform extra hard surfaces disinfection of the operatories and commonly used spaces such as door knobs, counter spaces, chair handles, etc.
Once you come in we will ask you to wash your hands properly with soap.
We’ve provided additional hand sanitizer with 99% alcohol gradient that’s superiorly higher then advised minimum 60% alcohol that’s been proven effective against Coronavirus. Still nothing substitutes a thorough 20 sec plus hand soap washing, so handwashing 1st, hand sanitizing 2nd.
All Clinical Personnel are required to wear double masks, face shields and gowns procedure depending.
In case when you come in and there are still other patients in the waiting room please sit on the opposite side. Seating has been separated and measured providing more than 6 feet in between chair groups to follow social distancing guidelines.
Unless you are accompanying a child or a person requiring assistance please don’t come in groups.
We have removed most if not all magazines, various brochures, water and coffee maker from the waiting room to eliminate unnecessary cross contamination. But don’t worry we still have it. Just ask the receptionist for water, coffee or both and we will hand it to you personally.
All Rooms and waiting rooms are equipped with Medical Grade Air Purifiers able to catch extremely small particles, bacteria & various viruses including some of the Covid 19.
All treatment rooms and waiting rooms are being sprayed with Special disinfectant solution proven powerful against Covid 19 and other microorganisms. Thus not only disinfecting hard surfaces but Air as well.
Feel free to spread the word to any family or friends who may need Dental Assistance. If you need our help call us at (973)542-7597