The ugly ' Notched Gum' look. Done when using tooth picks to clean one's teeth after a meal!
This may came as a shock to some, but Mother nature never issued an 11th commandment to use toothpicks to clean up food debris in between the teeth and gums. Although theoretically gently using that 20th century, marvelous wooden instrument to remove bothersome bits of food after a wonderful dinner may not appear to be a bad idea, the vast majority of us ‘go for it’… with bad results.
We are all far too aggressive with the toothpick. I see on too many patients what I call ‘notched gums’, where the toothpick has been used after a ‘going out on the town meal’, resulting in permanently, notched-looking gum tissue between the teeth.
Ewww… looks nasty!
Worst of all, some of us get it in our heads that once we feel our teeth are squeaky-clean, why not just chew on this neat, micro piece of wood for a spell!… like chewing gum!
Remember, this is a stick between your pearly whites, and toothpick chewing promotes chipped and cracked teeth. Good for the dentist…, bad for you!
So, try to avoid toothpicks altogether, and floss more later on in the evening instead. And I won’t even get into ice-chewing!
Dr. Ed Reifman, DDS
www.encinosmiledr.com
818.990.6659
