{"id":141,"date":"2025-06-02T18:45:19","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T18:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/?p=141"},"modified":"2025-07-22T13:27:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T13:27:27","slug":"toothpick-terror-dont-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/toothpick-terror-dont-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Toothpick Terror: Why You Shouldn\u2019t Use Them Like Dental Floss"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-300x200.png\" alt=\"Woman squinting while using a toothpick \" class=\"wp-image-142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image.png 568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Toothpicks can be handy little tools \u2013 just not when it comes to removing food from between your teeth! These overgrown splinters can actually do more harm than good if you try to use them like dental floss. Here\u2019s how one pointy sliver of wood can cause a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/emergency-dentistry.html\">dental emergency<\/a> and a list of alternatives that are much safer for your smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Toothpicks Can Harm Your Dental Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While your teeth are pretty strong, the soft pink tissue surrounding them is more vulnerable. When you think about it, getting a sharp object that close to your gums really isn\u2019t a good idea! More specifically, this is what could happen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gum damage.<\/strong> If your grip slips, you could easily cut open your gumline. Toothpicks can also splinter and get wood shards lodged in your gums, which will cause irritation and inflammation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infection.<\/strong> Cuts are prime real estate for bacteria. As these pesky intruders hide away in the laceration on your gums, you\u2019ll be at a greatly increased risk for infection. And if you\u2019re using a toothpick from a restaurant dispenser\u2026imagine how many hands have touched it!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Broken dental work.<\/strong> A toothpick is unlikely to harm a brand-new filling or crown. But if you have existing dental work that\u2019s already chipped or cracked, then this wooden sliver could pry it loose or cause breakage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Better Tools for Removing Food Debris &nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of reaching for a toothpick, try one of these travel-sized food removers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Traditional floss.<\/strong> It\u2019s an oldy but a goody! Traditional threaded floss is easier to control than a toothpick and is much more flexible and softer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Floss picks.<\/strong> You should be a bit more careful with floss picks, since the handle makes it easier to apply too much force and harm your gums. Overall, though, they are a good choice for those who don\u2019t like traditional floss.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, all of these are better for you than a toothpick. So, do your smile a favor, pick your favorite, and save your toothpicks for holding sandwiches together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/meet-dr-jason-aptaker.html\">Dr. Jason Aptaker<\/a> earned his dental degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers University Dental School). For over 10 years now, he\u2019s provided comfortable and convenient dental care to Manasquan and nearby areas. For more day-to-day tips that will help you avoid the dentist\u2019s chair, or if you need help right away because of a toothpick-related incident, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/contact.html\">contact<\/a> Dr. Aptaker\u2019s office at 732-223-9199.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Toothpicks can be handy little tools \u2013 just not when it comes to removing food from between your teeth! These overgrown splinters can actually do more harm than good if you try to use them like dental floss. Here\u2019s how one pointy sliver of wood can cause a dental emergency and a list of alternatives [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why You Shouldn&#039;t Use Toothpicks | Shore Points General &amp; Implant Dentistry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Toothpicks really aren\u2019t the best tools for getting food out from between your teeth. Here\u2019s why, and what you should use instead.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/toothpick-terror-dont-use-them\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Why You Shouldn&#039;t Use Toothpicks | Shore Points General &amp; Implant Dentistry\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Toothpicks really aren\u2019t the best tools for getting food out from between your teeth. Here\u2019s why, and what you should use instead.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image.png\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/toothpick-terror-dont-use-them\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/toothpick-terror-dont-use-them\/\",\"name\":\"Why You Shouldn't Use Toothpicks | Shore Points General & Implant Dentistry\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/toothpick-terror-dont-use-them\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/toothpick-terror-dont-use-them\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-300x200.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-02T18:45:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-22T13:27:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.manasquandentistry.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5c42dc4419e744a6f8d2f8142ce658e0\"},\"description\":\"Toothpicks really aren\u2019t the best tools for getting food out from between your teeth. 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