Toothpick

A toothpick is used after every meal to remove detritus or food that is stuck between the teeth. It is a small stick that has one or two sharp ends and is usually made out of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, or bone. A toothpick can also be used as a cocktail stick and as a tool for picking up small food such as cheese cubes and olives. Wooden toothpicks in America are made from birch wood. First, logs are cut into thin sheets in a spiral manner. Then, they are chopped and milled. Lastly, they are bleached so that the toothpicks will be lightened. 

The toothpick is the oldest device for dental cleaning and it is known to come before the arrival of early modern people since it is shown by the skulls of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens that they have teeth which are picked with a tool. In Florida, researchers discovered the remains of ancient Native Americans which are seven thousand and five hundred years old. In the year 1986, the researchers found out that between the molar teeth of the remains have small spaces or hollows. Before the invention of the toothbrush, hard and as well as soft dental woods are used to clean the teeth. They are well known in Northern Italy, in the East Alps, in Mesopotamia, and with the Romans. 

Toothpicks in the 17^th century were considered as luxurious things just like the jewelry items. They were made out from precious metal and they are also set with expensive stones as they were enameled and stylized artistically from time to time. In the modern times, toothpicks are not known to be luxury objects anymore. They are now mainly used for dental cleaning similar to that of a dental floss and a toothbrush. They are also used to pick up small appetizers during occasions that are festive and are sometimes styled or decorated with plastic frills and small paper flags.