Here’s Why (and How) We Use Toothpicks for Way More Than Just Cleaning Teeth

In almost every restaurant and every kitchen across the country, you’ll find strange little sticks of wood with pointed ends. An alien visiting Earth for the first time might wonder what these oddly primitive items are for, but the average human can right away tell you at least five uses for toothpicks.

Years ago, toothpicks were considered an essential after-meal tool for cleaning teeth. Today, dentists warn that this process might do more harm than good. It’s best to stick to flossing. But that doesn’t mean toothpicks aren’t useful.

You can use these wooden picks to clean small areas, check if a cake has finished baking, fill gaps in wooden furniture and serve finger food at a party. The possibilities are only bound by your creativity.

If you’re stocking a kitchen for the first time or never realized the usefulness of toothpicks until reading this article, consider purchasing one of the toothpicks listed below. We’ve scoured Amazon to find the best toothpicks you can order from the online retailer.