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Toothpick
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{{Short description|Small stick for cleaning teeth}} {{pp-semi-indef}} [[Image:Holzzahnstocher.jpg|thumb|Wood toothpicks]] [[File:Oral B toothpicks dental woodsticks.jpg|thumb|Oral B toothpicks]] [[Image:Toothpick s.jpg|thumb|Bamboo toothpick]] [[File:Dental Flosser SH.jpg|thumb|Curved metal toothpick (reusable)]] A '''toothpick''' is a small thin stick of [[wood]], [[plastic]], [[bamboo]], [[metal]], [[bone]] or other substance with at least one and sometimes two pointed ends to insert between [[Human tooth|teeth]] to remove [[detritus]], usually after a [[meal]]. Toothpicks are also used for festive occasions to hold or spear small appetizers (like cheese cubes or [[olive]]s) or as a [[cocktail stick]], and can be decorated with plastic frills or small paper umbrellas or [[flags]].<ref>"The Marketing Genius Who Brought Us the Toothpick." Slate Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://www.slate.com/articles/business_and_tech/design/2007/10/stick_figure.single.html>.</ref> == History == Known in all cultures, the toothpick is the oldest instrument for dental cleaning. [[Dmanisi hominins|Hominin remains]] from [[Dmanisi historic site|Dmanisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], dated to about 1.8 million years ago, bear lesions indicating the repeated use of a “toothpick”.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Margvelashvili |first1=A. |last2=Zollikofer |first2=C. P. E. |last3=Lordkipanidze |first3=D. |last4=Peltomaki |first4=T. |last5=Ponce de Leon |first5=M. S. |title=Tooth wear and dentoalveolar remodeling are key factors of morphological variation in the Dmanisi mandibles |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |date=22 October 2013 |volume=110 |issue=43 |pages=17278–17283 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1316052110|pmid=24101504 |pmc=3808665 |bibcode=2013PNAS..11017278M |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hogenboom |first1=Melissa |title='Ancient humans' used toothpicks |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24396757 |access-date=29 August 2021 |work=BBC News |date=8 October 2013}}</ref> A Neanderthal man's jawbone found in the [[Cova Foradà]] in Spain evidenced use of a toothpick to alleviate pain in his teeth caused by [[periodontal disease]] and dental wear.<Ref>{{cite journal |ref={{harvid|Lozano et al.|2013}}|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0076852 |pmid=24146934 |pmc=3797767 |title=Toothpicking and Periodontal Disease in a Neanderthal Specimen from Cova Foradà Site (Valencia, Spain) |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=8 |issue=10 |pages=e76852 |year=2013 |last1=Lozano |first1=Marina |last2=Subirà |first2=Maria Eulàlia |last3=Aparicio |first3=José |last4=Lorenzo |first4=Carlos |last5=Gómez-Merino |first5=Gala |bibcode=2013PLoSO...876852L |doi-access=free }}</ref> Toothpicks made of bronze have been found as burial objects in prehistoric graves in Northern Italy and in the East Alps. In 1986, researchers in [[Florida]] discovered the 7500-year-old remains of ancient Native Americans and discovered small grooves between many of the molar teeth.<ref name=AP>(AP) (06/22/1986). "Dentistry as practiced 5510 B.C.". ''Toronto Star''.</ref> One of the researchers, Justin Martin of Concordia University Wisconsin, said, "The enamel on teeth is quite tough, so they must have used the probes quite rigorously to make the grooves."<ref name=AP/> == Materials and manufacture == There are delicate, artistic examples made of silver in [[classical antiquity|antiquity]], as well as from [[Pistacia lentiscus|mastic wood]] with the Romans. [[File:Toothpick Variety.jpg|alt=|thumb|Plastic interdental piks designed to prevent gingivitis, and wooden flat toothpicks]] In the 17th century, toothpicks were luxury objects and like jewelry, were artfully stylized using precious metal and set with expensive stones. According to a local historian in the [[Southern United States]], the [[baculum]] (penis bone) of a [[raccoon]], called a "coon rod",{{efn|Other nicknames are "Alabama toothpick", "Arkansas toothpick", "mountain man toothpick" and "Texas toothpick"}} was sometimes filed to a point for use as a toothpick.<ref>Charlotte Collins Bond. [https://www.thegagenweb.com/gamadison/history/coonrod.htm "Coonrod: Arkansas Tooth-pick."] Madison County GAGenWeb archives. 1998. ([http://elizabethprata.blogspot.com/2007/06/on-madison-countys-coonrod-competition.html Reprinted]) Retrieved 5 July 2023.</ref> The first toothpick-manufacturing machine was developed in 1869, by Marc Signorello. Another was patented in 1872, by Silas Noble and J. P. Cooley.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://inventors.about.com/od/dstartinventions/a/dentistry_2.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713172145/http://inventors.about.com/od/dstartinventions/a/dentistry_2.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 13, 2012|title=History of the Toothbrush and Toothpaste|author=Mary Bellis|work=About.com Money}}</ref> Wooden toothpicks are cut from [[birch]] wood. Logs are first spiral cut into thin sheets, which are then cut, chopped, milled and bleached (to lighten) into the individual toothpicks.<ref>''[[How It's Made]]: "Toothpicks; acrylic bathtubs; helicopters; beer." [[The Discovery Channel]].</ref> Nowadays other means of [[interdental cleaning]] are preferred such as [[dental floss]], [[toothbrush]]es, and [[Oral irrigator|oral irrigators.]] == Dentistry == Dentists generally prefer [[Dental floss|floss]] to picks because of possible damages to oral health,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://northbrookdentistoffice.com/does-using-toothpick-dangerous-to-your-teeth/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729035816/https://northbrookdentistoffice.com/does-using-toothpick-dangerous-to-your-teeth/ |archive-date=2020-07-29 |title=Does using toothpick dangerous to your teeth? {{!}} Northbrook Dentist Office}}</ref> specifically to the gum, to tooth enamel (if chewed), to tooth roots (if the gum is pushed low enough). Picks may also damage veneers and crowns, have splinters, or be accidentally swallowed.<ref>{{cite web |title=But It's Just a Little Toothpick, How Threatening Can It Be |url=https://northerndentaldesign.com.au/but-its-just-a-little-toothpick-how-threatening-can-it-be/ |website=Northern Dental Design |language=en-AU |date=10 June 2021}}</ref> A review of small-scale studies indicates that toothpicks and triangular woodsticks are similar in their ability to remove plaque.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ng |first1=E |last2=Lim |first2=LP |title=An Overview of Different Interdental Cleaning Aids and Their Effectiveness. |journal= Dentistry Journal|date=1 June 2019 |volume=7 |issue=2 |page=56 |doi=10.3390/dj7020056 |pmid=31159354|pmc=6630384 |doi-access=free }}</ref> == See also == * [[Oral hygiene]] * [[Teeth cleaning twig]] == Notes == {{Notelist}} == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == *{{Commonscat-inline|Toothpicks|lcfirst=yes}} *{{wiktionary-inline}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP_7FIpPFEQ Video] - how toothpicks are manufactured ===Further reading=== * {{cite book | last =Petroski | first =Henry | author-link =Henry Petroski | title =The Toothpick: Technology and Culture | publisher =Knopf | date =2007-10-16 | isbn =978-0-307-26636-1 | url =https://archive.org/details/toothpicktechnol00petr | url-access =registration }} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Dental equipment]] [[Category:Oral hygiene products]] [[Category:Eating utensils]] [[Category:Preventive dentistry]]
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