What could you possibly need a toothpick for?

[TKM]

I was asked this today by a friend who is an avid knife user but kind of criticizes the fact that I prefer to carry a Victorinox, however he got me thinking.

I actually used to use it to clean my teeth until my dentist told me how unhealthy it was to keep a reusable toothpick.

So, what do you use it for??? Why is it there in the first place? Why not a pen or a needle?

 

[mrdavidross321]

i use mine to pick dirt and such out of cracks, crevices, screw heads and whatnot

 

[GingivitisKahn]

I use mine to pick my teeth when needed but that's how I roll.

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Beckerhead #42

 

[SaturatedShadow]

I always used the toothpick to clean the teeth on the saw. Then I switched to alox saks, and no more toothpick.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

None of mine have toothpicks.

That doesn't mean I don't get stuff stuck in my teeth, though.

So . . . improvise!

In my center console, among the other "junk" that's in there, I keep a supply of two seemingly dissimilar items: stir-stick straws (like you find at coffee stations) and small zip ties.

Since I always have a sharp blade at hand, I can turn a stirrer into an ersatz toothpick in seconds, just by cutting across at an angle and pinching it flat. They're not very robust, but they are thin, and they can get into small spaces. For a more robust pick, cut a zip tie at an angle, then whittle a point on it, thinning it down as needed. The zip tie material is tough, but easy to shape with a sharp knife.

 

[GIRLYmann]

pick out 'n clean areas on the SAK itself.

 

[TTpower]

there was a time when i needed a small screw driver to tighten a small screw on my laptop and all i had with me was may SAK CLIMBER, so i had to improvise and i use the toothpick to reach the screw in a hole underneath the laptop. that was the only time i used it. thats also the reason why i got a LM juice CS4

 

[TKM]

Thanks for your answers guys.

So not really a lot of uses, right? I use mine to clean some hard-to-get spots in my knives.

Does anyone happen to know why Victorinox decided to put it in there? I can think of a lot of stuff just as cheap and a lot more useful that could fit in the same place.

 

[Dantor]

I always use it for picking things out of tight spaces/holes especially when I don't want to scratch the area (or around) I'm cleaning.

like in-between the keys on your keyboard (try it now!) works great and I don't scratch/damage anything with the soft plastic tip.

 

[quattromori]

I always wondered the same thing, and never found an answer..I would prefer a second set of tweezers instead, and I do believe that they should think about something more useful to fill that little space in my Tinker.
Lately I am into Alox models too, so I guess I will get no more toothpicks around...

 

[Harayasu]

I think you're dentist is right, but you could replace the toothpick a few times a year. Here they cost about 75 eurocents. MacGyver would probably give us many answers to this question, but I only use it for what it was made for.

 

[znapschatz]

I think you're dentist is right, but you could replace the toothpick a few times a year. Here they cost about 75 eurocents. MacGyver would probably give us many answers to this question, but I only use it for what it was made for.

Or, invest in a pocketable package of antiseptic wipes to clean the toothpick before putting it in your mouth. In addition to protecting yourself from oral germs, the wipes can be used for other purposes, like cleaning your hands after using the "facilities" while in the woods. I use the toothpick for many little odd jobs, some of them nasty , but all set right with sanitary towelettes.

 

[BITEME]

I've been using mine to clean my teeth for +20 yrs. no problems,just wash the damn thing when you get home.

 

[mrdavidross321]

Thanks for your answers guys.

So not really a lot of uses, right? I use mine to clean some hard-to-get spots in my knives.

Does anyone happen to know why Victorinox decided to put it in there? I can think of a lot of stuff just as cheap and a lot more useful that could fit in the same place.

it depends on what your daily tasks are? Honestly im glad its there

 

[foxx]

If you're going to buy and carry wipes, why not just carry some toothpicks? Oddly enough, I just found some at a health food store that are birchwood, Tea Tree and Cinnamon infused. Not only better tasting than plain toothpicks, but better for your oral hygiene. They also don't fall apart as fast.
I'm sure at some point the logic for the toothpick was based on need. Sometimes you just have to remove somthing from your teeth right then and there. If there is no other material to make one, then you can use what you got.
If you look at the toothpick under a microscope, I bet you wouldn't want to keep using the same toothpick. Even sewing needles look gross under magnification.

 

[znapschatz]

If you're going to buy and carry wipes, why not just carry some toothpicks?

Because the wipes can be used for other purposes as well; toothpicks also, I suppose, but I can't think of others right at the moment.

 

[sven56]

I use the toothpick as a toothpick, wipe it on my shirt tail or pant leg, and put it away. What ever might be left on it is likely to support a smaller colony of bacteria than the chunk of food I removed with it. You might consider washing it off once in a while, and rinsing your mouth out after picking by swishing around a mouth full of water can't hurt.
In my opinion, worry over a little bit of germs will likely cause more health issues over time than the germs themselves.

 

[Django.cj]

Yeah I'm a weird one who uses it as a toothpick as well. Especially after corn on the cob. I wash if off, but not every day. I'm quite sure I put filthier things in my mouth every day, so Im not concerned.

 

[Thalestin]

I use the toothpick as a toothpick, wipe it on my shirt tail or pant leg, and put it away. What ever might be left on it is likely to support a smaller colony of bacteria than the chunk of food I removed with it. You might consider washing it off once in a while, and rinsing your mouth out after picking by swishing around a mouth full of water can't hurt.
In my opinion, worry over a little bit of germs will likely cause more health issues over time than the germs themselves.

Agreed, people really overdue it with the whole germ thing these days.

I used the toothpick mainly as a knife cleaning tool. When I used my sac I often would get crud stuck in it and would use the pick to remove the debris

 

[Gadgetaholic]

I actually used to use it to clean my teeth until my dentist told me how unhealthy it was to keep a reusable toothpick.

So, what do you use it for??? Why is it there in the first place? Why not a pen or a needle?

I use it to remove food stuck between my teeth. I regularly clean it with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) at home so that it doesn't get nasty & unhealthy. I disagree with your dentist.

I also have a pen & a stainless steel pin and tweezers - I always feel well equipped with my SAK in its pouch on my belt.