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Can We Use Toothpicks at the Table? Interesting Facts

December 27, 2017 by admin 2,814 Comments

Throughout history, the attitude of toothpicks and cutleries was very contradictive. When we are among our family members we can allow ourselves to feel relaxed and use toothpicks in front of them at the table. However, I think it is interesting to know how we use them at the restaurant or our first date or in any public setting.

History

Toothpicks have been known since the Neanderthal Times because they ate a lot of meat that got stuck between their teeth. That is why toothpicks were invented. Back then they used a very hard stalk of grains, the spines of a hedgehog, animal’s bones or just the tree limbs.

Ancient Romans had special slavers whose job was to clean their master’s mouth.

One more interesting thing is the following. If you ever noticed that the ends of some of the knives are rounded. During the era of the famous Cardinal Richelieu, the servants were using the sharp knives to clean the pieces of food out of their teeth. That was very dangerous and the Cardinal sent an order to dull the ends of the knives.

There is no exact date when toothpicks appeared. Although there is a fact that they were introduced for the first time in 1570 in France. Back then they were made of different metals and even gold. Interestingly enough that it was a high level of sophistication to keep it in the mouth and it was considered as normal to clean your teeth with the toothpick in front of other people. (That is not allowed now).

The biggest factory that produced the toothpicks was in Paris in 1870. They were made of goose feathers.

The owner of an American factory Charles Foster produced 7,5million of the toothpicks.

According to modern etiquette, we shouldn’t use toothpicks at the dinner table. We should go to the bathroom to do this intimate procedure. That is why at the restaurants you will not find the toothpicks sitting on the table or they will bring them to you by the end of the dinner and before you leave the restaurant.

Let’s eat for wellness!

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