BEWARE THE TOOTHPICK
Q: Are toothpicks effective cleaning tools?
A: Toothpicks, like every other product in our lives, have evolved. They’re no longer strictly stiff and wooden. The flexible, wedge-shaped models can indeed be useful in pushing between teeth and knocking out particles and scraping plaque. But the rigid wooden toothpick can do more harm than good if it is one of your hygiene tools. Used aggressively, the toothpick can damage gums and enamel and can loosen or damage restorations, like veneers, bonds, and crowns. It could break an already weakened tooth. Toothpick use can aggravate the wear of roots, particularly in older people whose gums may have begun to recede.
Talk with your dentist about the use of toothpicks if they are part of your dental care toolkit.
If you, your family, or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice. Refer someone you love to someone you trust!
Presented as a service to the community by Doctors Hoover and Yanda,
39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360.