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Posted on 11/15/2019 by Dr. Brandon Cooley |
Most people think that using a toothpick is equivalent to flossing or even brushing the teeth to remove food that is stuck between your teeth. Truth is, using a toothpick has many disadvantages. One of those is that it will cause you to have rifts between your teeth. This is because when you use it after every meal you take, sometimes a piece gets trapped in between your teeth which will cause your teeth to begin leaving these gaps. If you happen to be using the metallic toothpick to remove stuck particles in your mouth, you are at great risk of getting tetanus which can be fatal if not caught in time. Why You Should Not Use ToothpicksSome people have formed a habit of using a toothpick after every meal. However, this practice will only leave your highly sensitive gum tissue damaged which can lead to bacteria entering the tissue and causing infections. Instead of toothpicks, the dentists usually recommend dental floss, which at times can also be bad when used incorrectly.When you use toothpicks, you can easily get infections in your mouth because they are not sterile. That's because they are often left unattended most of the time. This allows for dirt to coat it before you use it. Even though some have very nice packaging that may fool you, the truth is, they are just as dangerous as the others. Dentists recommend that cleaning in between the teeth after meals should be done at least twice a day or before bed for the extremely busy people. When cleaning, you are required to use an interdental cleaner and a toothpick is not recommended because it is not. It also does not clean off plaque from the teeth like brushing the teeth would do. Another reason why toothpicks should be avoided is that they may get broken in your mouth. At times, you can unknowingly or unwillingly swallow a broken splinter which may cause some damage. When you feel as if a toothpick has damaged your gums or are causing you some discomfort while using, please make an appointment with us as soon as you can. It helps to catch these things on time before any further damage is done. |
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