– Why you should minimize the rate at which you use a toothpick.
– Some side effects of toothpicks on the dentition.
When we eat certain foods, there are often some leftovers that hang between our teeth that we struggle to remove. When we eat meat, fish, and some other foods, we experience this.
For some people, they have food residue between their teeth because of their dentition, some people have spaces between their teeth that accommodate food remains.
Although, everyone experiences this despite the arrangement of the teeth. And it is important to remove these food residues to avoid a smelly mouth or a bad breath.
A toothpick is usually a wooden stick or a plastic stick this is pointed at the two ends. We use these sticks to remove food residue (remains) from the area between the teeth.
Despite the fact that toothpicks usage can help us get rid of the food residues, there are also some dangers that are attached to the use of a toothpick to remove food residues from the teeth.
Also, there are better ways to get rid of food remains that hang between your teeth. Some of the ways include brushing your teeth or flossing it.
The dangers of using toothpicks include the following;
1. Using a toothpick can be dangerous because there are a variety of bacteria, viruses, that the body can contact through the toothpick we use.
A toothpick can accomodate quite a lot of bacteria and we might not know.
2. Also, using toothpicks incorrectly, hastily or too often can cause damage to the teeth and to the gum. The sharp ends of a toothpick can either poke or injure your gum tissues.
3. A toothpick can also scrape away the protective enamel on the teeth. Toothpicks, when used incorrectly can also lead to gum degeneration.
4. Toothpicks can also lacerate gum tissues, causing them to bleed.
5. Also, if you accidentally swallow a toothpick, it can cause the small intestine perforation.
However, despite the dangers of using toothpicks, when you use them correctly and safely, there is no cause for alarm.