Are toothpicks bad for teeth?

Question

Are toothpicks bad for teeth? Someone told me this but Ive never heard such a thing. Source link?

Answer 1

Toothpicks should be outlawed!!!!  lol

They can be damaging to your teeth and gums.  

Floss is the best way to remove debris from in between your teeth.  It'll also remove plaque that may cause decay.

Answer 2

I think toothpicks are harder on your papilla, that little triangle of gum tissue between your teeth.  Repeatedly pushing that tissue down causes it to...well...move down.

But I suppose I can imagine that repeatedly scrapping one spot on your tooth with a toothpick could start to wear the enamel away.  But I think it would take an awful lot of toothpick use.

Floss is definitely better!

Answer 3

depends on how you use them. don't pick until your teeth bleed, just use them to get the small pieces of food stuck in between!  

Answer 4

We prefer and reccomend plastic dental piks as they don't splinter like wood ones will....(then you have to floss out the splinters!!)  

So just cut to the chase and floss!!!

Answer 5

"Tooth-pick use- Be cautious with toothpicks; they can damage the gum tissue bewtween your teeth by splintering or cause dental problems if you chew on them for long periods of time. "

This is the only negative thing I could find about toothpicks. If they posed a serious harm to you, I think I'd be able to find more than this.

So, I'd say no. Just don't prod your gums or be silly with them and you'll be okay.

Answer 6

The fact is, using a toothpick is good for your gums and not so much your teeth...Your gums need stimulation and exercise to stay healthy as well as clean...There are special toothpicks that are made of a soft wood fiber and are medicated, those are really healthy for your gums...Using "hard" toothpicks can actually damage the gum tissue, especially if they are used to often, like four or five times a day....My information is from 42 years in the dental field. Good luck and I wish you well.