{"id":120,"date":"2017-12-28T16:46:02","date_gmt":"2017-12-28T16:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/?p=120"},"modified":"2024-06-05T12:04:17","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T12:04:17","slug":"dentist-in-wakefield-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/dentist-in-wakefield-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Dentist in Wakefield Warns You to Stop Using Toothpicks!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-121\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/AdobeStock_49328112__1515516630_86393-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"little boy with toothpick\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/AdobeStock_49328112__1515516630_86393-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/AdobeStock_49328112__1515516630_86393-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/AdobeStock_49328112__1515516630_86393-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/AdobeStock_49328112__1515516630_86393.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>You just finished eating a yummy steak, but now you\u2019re noticing that you have a bit of meat stuck between your teeth. Fortunately, the restaurant where you\u2019re eating is kind enough to provide toothpicks at the table. You reach for one, and\u2014no! Don\u2019t do it. There are several reasons why you should leave those little wooden stakes right where they are. Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">dentist in Wakefield<\/a> is here to discuss all the downsides of toothpicks and to suggest a better alternative.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Toothpicks Aren\u2019t Effective<\/h2>\n<p>The point of toothpicks is to clean between your pearly whites and help you keep a clean mouth, right? Unfortunately, they don\u2019t do their job very well. The tip of a toothpick isn\u2019t thin enough to truly reach into the tight spaces between your teeth. Even if it removes some particles, it might actually shove other debris farther into those cramped little openings.<\/p>\n<p>Both old-fashioned wooden toothpicks and modern plastic ones have the same problem, so it\u2019s best to skip them and wait until you get home use better, more effective means of cleaning of your mouth.<\/p>\n<h2>Toothpicks Might Even Cause You Harm<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s bad enough that toothpicks don\u2019t work to clean your mouth, but what\u2019s even worse is that they might actually cause some damage in there. Here\u2019s how they can wreak havoc on your oral health:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s too easy to accidentally stab your gums while you\u2019re using a toothpick. This could lead to bleeding and swelling.<\/li>\n<li>If a wooden toothpick splinters while you\u2019re using it, it could get stuck in your gums and cause an infection.<\/li>\n<li>Being too aggressive with a toothpick could damage your tooth enamel. If you have porcelain veneers or dental bonding on your teeth, you could also chip those restorations.<\/li>\n<li>If you have receding gums, your tooth roots are exposed. A toothpick could damage this sensitive area of your pearly whites.<\/li>\n<li>Toothpicks are one of the most commonly swallowed objects. Once one gets into your system, you\u2019ll probably have to visit a doctor to get it out before it leads to serious internal damage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Best Way to Clean Between Teeth<\/h2>\n<p>If toothpicks are out of the question, what is the best way to clean between your teeth? Any guesses? Yep, it\u2019s floss. Flossing might seem like a hassle, but it is superior to toothpicks because it is thinner and can effectively clean the tight spaces in your mouth. Plus, it\u2019s easier to control and poses much less of a risk to your gums. It won\u2019t splinter and cause an infection, and there\u2019s virtually no risk that you\u2019ll accidentally swallow your floss.<\/p>\n<p>Toothpicks are fantastic, but only if you\u2019re looking for a good way to serve hors d\u2019oeuvres. Otherwise, you should stay away from them. Your teeth and gums will thank you for using floss instead!<\/p>\n<p><strong>About the Dentist<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dr. Rob Schumacher has been practicing dentistry for well over a decade, and he continues to have a passion for caring for his patients\u2019 oral health. If you have any concerns about your teeth and gums (or you want to know if your toothpick habit has caused some damage), please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schumacherdental.com\/contact-us.html\">contact us<\/a> at 781-334-3400.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You just finished eating a yummy steak, but now you\u2019re noticing that you have a bit of meat stuck between your teeth. Fortunately, the restaurant where you\u2019re eating is kind enough to provide toothpicks at the table. You reach for one, and\u2014no! Don\u2019t do it. There are several reasons why you should leave those little [&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-120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Your Dentist in Wakefield Warns You to Stop Using Toothpicks!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your dentist in Wakefield lists reasons why you should skip the toothpicks and opt for floss instead. Your oral health will thank you!\" \/>\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.schumacherdental.com\/blog\/dentist-in-wakefield-5\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your Dentist in Wakefield Warns You to Stop Using Toothpicks!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Your dentist in Wakefield lists reasons why you should skip the toothpicks and opt for floss instead. 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