How to Use Toothpicks to Extract Food

A simple tool, often made of wood, plastic or metal, the toothpick is traceable through fossilized remains back to the days of Neanderthals. Though the Neanderthal versions were crude, they served the same purpose as those of modern days: the removal of food fibers from between teeth. The use of a toothpick is simple, but injurious risks like gum damage and choking require a high level of care throughout the process.

Instructions

• 1

  Locate a clean and unused toothpick. If it is made of wood, check it for splinters.

• 2

  Maneuver your tongue across your teeth to locate any food lodged between them.

• 3

  Leave your tongue over the piece of lodged food, and pick up your toothpick.

• 4

  Grip the toothpick firmly between your thumb and finger. Make certain your grasp on the toothpick is solid before entering your mouth with it.

• 5

  Slide your tongue away, and gently work the toothpick into the area where the food is lodged. Poke between the teeth, and slide the toothpick down the tooth and away from the gum line to keep from injuring your gums.

• 6

  Increase the pressure with which you dig if the food is not easily dislodged, but be careful not to puncture your gums.

• 7

  Throw away the used toothpick if it is a disposable wooden pick, and clean it if it is reusable.