Is it good to pick your teeth with a toothpick after a meal?

　　After a meal, many people like to use toothpicks to pick their teeth. Some people even develop the habit of picking their teeth again after a meal, regardless of whether there is food impaction between the teeth. In fact, toothpicks are not suitable for everyone, and blind use will damage teeth.

　　In fact, toothpicks are suitable for some people, but most people are not suitable for using them, otherwise they will damage their gums. In dental professional textbooks, it is clearly stated that toothpicks can only be used when the interdental papilla has receded or the interdental space has increased.

　　There are mainly two types of toothpicks on the market: wooden and plastic. The most popular ones are wooden toothpicks. The toothpick should be used so that the tip can pass through the interdental space smoothly, enter the interdental space at a 45-degree angle, point the tip toward the occlusal surface, and make the side edge of the toothpick contact the gingival papilla of the interdental space, and then use the side edge of the toothpick to scrape the tooth surface. If periodontal healthy . When the gap between teeth is small and covered by interdental papilla, do not use toothpicks to forcefully insert, let alone forcefully enter toward the gums. Otherwise, it will not only damage the gums, but also form a non-existent interdental space, causing gingivitis, gum recession, increased interdental space and lead to periodontal disease. disease。

　　Nowadays, many restaurants provide toothpicks, but there are two hidden dangers to be aware of. One is that the quality of the toothpicks is not up to standard. A good toothpick should have three criteria: sufficient hardness and toughness, the surface should be smooth, without burrs, and the cross-section should be triangular wedge-shaped or oblate. However, in order to save costs, many restaurants usually introduce inferior toothpicks.

　　Second, the management of toothpicks is too casual. In many restaurants, toothpicks are left casually on the table or on the plate, ready for anyone to grab. This is very unhygienic. have media It has been reported that according to tests conducted by the relevant health department, tens of thousands of bacteria are hidden on a small toothpick. During the process of flossing, these bacteria will enter the human body through the toothpick, causing harm to health.