The toothpick is a simple instrument with a simple purpose. We may not give it a second thought as we pick one up, free our teeth from discomfort and unsightly food debris, and then casually throw it away. But did you know that the toothpick has a colorful history that few people know about? Enjoy these ten cool facts about the humble toothpick:
1. A significant anthropological find showed that toothpicks have been around even longer than our own species! The skulls believed to belong to Neanderthals show signs of having their teeth cleaned by some kind of tool.
2. In the 17th century, the toothpicks used by the upper classes were prized enough to be made of gold, silver or ivory and some were even inlaid with precious stones.
3. The US state of Maine is the largest producer of toothpicks. It is estimated that about 90% of the toothpicks in the country are made in this state.
4. The toothpick has also played an important role in history. Agathocles, a tyrant of Syracuse, died in 289 BC. C. when he used his toothpick; It is said that an enemy drenched him in poison without his knowing it.
5. A man named Charles Forster from Boston asked Harvard students to eat at a local restaurant and then asked aloud for a toothpick after finishing their meals. They were supposed to complain if the establishment didn’t have any to give them. Forster hoped this would help generate a market for the disposable toothpick.
6. This same Charles Forster set up a toothpick factory in Strong, Maine, which produced an average of 20 million toothpicks a day.
7. In the 1980s, cinnamon sticks became a trend. Children would soak wooden toothpicks in a bottle of cinnamon oil extract and sell them for a profit. Customers who had bought them could be detected by a red color left in the mouth.
8. The toothpick is considered so essential that even Swiss army knives, a popular brand of multi-function tools, have included one in their product.
9. Some people have found other creative uses for the toothpick. A man named Joe King used 110,000 toothpicks to build a model of the Eiffel Tower – it rose to 23 feet!
10. Today, if you are looking for a stylish and original gift to give someone important, you may want to buy a pocket chopstick holder, a great way to take your chopsticks with you!
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