Toothpick facts for kids

Wood toothpicks

A toothpick is a small, thin stick used to clean your teeth after eating. People push a toothpick between their teeth to remove tiny bits of food. Toothpicks can be made from many different things, like wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, or even bone. They usually have one or two pointed ends.

Besides cleaning teeth, toothpicks are also great for parties! They can hold small appetizers like cheese cubes or olives. Some toothpicks even have fun decorations, like tiny plastic frills, small paper umbrellas, or little flags.

The Long History of Toothpicks

Toothpicks are one of the oldest tools people have used to clean their teeth. Scientists have found signs of teeth being picked with tools on the skulls of ancient humans, including Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens.

Very old toothpicks made of bronze have been discovered in ancient graves in northern Italy and the East Alps. This shows that people have been using toothpicks for thousands of years!

What Toothpicks Are Made From

In ancient times, people made fancy toothpicks from silver or special mastic wood. During the 1600s, toothpicks became luxury items. Rich people had them made from valuable metals and decorated with expensive jewels.

The first machine to make toothpicks was invented by Marc Signorello in 1869. Another machine was patented in 1872 by Silas Noble and J. P. Cooley. These inventions made it possible to produce toothpicks much faster and cheaper.

Today, most wooden toothpicks are made from birch wood. Large logs are first cut into thin sheets. These sheets are then cut, chopped, and shaped into individual toothpicks. They are often bleached to make them clean and white. Plastic toothpicks, sometimes called dental picks, are also common.

While toothpicks are still used, there are now other ways to keep your teeth clean. These include using dental floss, toothbrushes, and oral irrigators (water flossers).

Images for kids

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  Oral B toothpicks

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  Plastic interdental picks and wooden flat toothpicks.

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  Bamboo toothpick

See also

In Spanish: Mondadientes para niños