Toothpick

Known in all cultures, the toothpick is the oldest instrument for dental cleaning. Hominin remains from Dmanisi, Georgia, dated to about 1.8 million years ago, bear lesions indicating the repeated use of a “toothpick”.{{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 }}{{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}} 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.{{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 }} 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.(AP) (06/22/1986). "Dentistry as practiced 5510 B.C.". Toronto Star. 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."

There are delicate, artistic examples made of silver in antiquity, as well as from mastic wood with the Romans.

File:Toothpick Variety.jpg

In the 17th century, toothpicks were luxury objects and like jewelry, were artfully stylized using precious metal and set with expensive stones.

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.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.

The first toothpick-manufacturing machine was developed in 1869, by Marc Signorello. Another was patented in 1872, by Silas Noble and J. P. Cooley.{{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}}

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.''How It's Made: "Toothpicks; acrylic bathtubs; helicopters; beer." The Discovery Channel. Nowadays other means of interdental cleaning are preferred such as dental floss, toothbrushes, and oral irrigators.

Dentists generally prefer floss to picks because of possible damages to oral health,{{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}} 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.{{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}}

A review of small-scale studies indicates that toothpicks and triangular woodsticks are similar in their ability to remove plaque.{{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 }}

• Oral hygiene
• Teeth cleaning twig

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Commonscat-inline|Toothpicks|lcfirst=yes}}
• {{wiktionary-inline}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP_7FIpPFEQ Video] - how toothpicks are manufactured

• {{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

}}

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Category:Dental equipment

Category:Oral hygiene products

Category:Eating utensils

Category:Preventive dentistry