Do you brush your teeth every day? You will always be reminded of this during your visit to the dentist or dental hygienist. When you then walk into the drugstore in good spirits, you have to choose from a shelf with all kinds of toothpicks. Well, which one do you choose? We help you on your way!
Why is toothpick necessary?
Brushing your teeth twice a day ensures that your teeth are well maintained. Especially when using a sonic brushing technique like Tree brush tackle stubborn dental plaque and dirt. With about 40,000 vibrations per minute, the Tree brush ensures that the dental plaque is removed deep to the gum line. However, no matter how well you brush it, a brush will unfortunately never remove all the plaque between your teeth. To do this, you need to brush your teeth, which prevents inflammation of the gums, cavities and other gum problems.
Plastic or wood?
These days you will mainly see a lot of plastic toothpicks on the shelves. However, it is better to leave these for what it is and put the wooden toothpicks in your basket. It is a fact that plastic toothpicks are less likely to break than wooden ones, but this does not outweigh the disadvantages. Plastic toothpicks are often too hard, which poses a risk of gum damage. In addition, these toothpicks often contain plastic spines that can remain between your teeth, which can then lead to inflammation.
The advantages of wooden toothpicks? When you wet the wood before you start firing, it breaks less quickly and has the option of shrinking or expanding, so that the stoker adapts perfectly to your teeth. In addition, wet wood creates an abrasive effect that tackles stubborn dental plaque.
Round or triangular?
Let's go back to the scenario in the drugstore. You are standing in front of a shelf with dozens of types of toothpicks, in all colours, thicknesses, shapes and all kinds of materials. Which one do you choose? Regarding the shape, it is best to go for toothpicks with a triangular end. This works better than a round end as the interdental spaces of your teeth also have a slight triangular shape. That's why you can achieve a lot more with toothpicks with a triangular end. NB; the flat side of the stick should be facing your gums. This prevents damage to your gums, and the pointed side also ensures that the space between your teeth is sanded clean.