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Last Updated: Aug 29, 2019
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Dr. Apoorv MittalDentist • 29 Years Exp.Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Diploma in Hospital Administration, Diploma in Pharmacy
Why Tooth Picking Is Bad for Oral Health
A lot of people love to use tooth picks in order to clear out food stuck in their teeth after meals.Some people even consider to do it as a habit that they will use it, even if they no longer have to. These people do not know that there are possible hazards to using it. In order to convince them to avoid using tooth picks, here are 5 reasons why it is bad for oral health.
It can be a source of oral infections. In fact, it could also be a reason for a person to acquire more severe oral discomforts such as mouth cancer. Keep in mind that tooth picks are never sterile as they are only be stored on tables and closets kept inside their boxes or cases. It would never be ideal to put such thing inside your mouth for health reasons.
Constant tooth picking can break the enamel of your teeth. The enamel which is a hard yet thin layer covering the crown of a tooth is a vital tissue as it serves as the main protection or coat of the tooth. Due to its thinness, it can easily break this tissue given that tooth picks are made up of hard substance. Once the user applies pressure on the tooth, the enamel will easily break off of it. Just imagine all of the damage your teeth enamel has taken so far if you are using it three times a day.
It can be damaging to the gums. Whenever a person is using tooth picks, it is inevitable for them to sometimes hit their gums with it. Worse is when they apply too much pressure and they would accidentally have their gums wounded. If you have wounded or damaged gums, the chances of being able to acquire diseases would be higher most especially if the gums become infected. This is why most dentists advise their patients and clients to use dental flossers instead as they are proven to be more safe
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