Something I don't see much anymore and I don't miss:

[Aristus]

The toothpick in the side of the mouth thing.

Who first came up with that?

Who decided that it looked tough, instead of like a rather ridiculous choking hazard?

My only guess is that the only people who thought it made them look tough all choked to death on their toothpicks, and that's why you don't see the habit anymore...

[Haggard Celine]

1. I don't use wooden toothpicks anymore.

I use these plastic "Brushpicks." They're a lot better at getting meat and other little things from between my teeth because they're flexible and can get between my teeth no matter how close together they are. I might buy some wooden toothpicks if I'm cooking something that needs to be held together, but I'm mostly done with the old toothpicks.

[csziggy]

14. I've got three boxes of toothpicks in the kitchen

Because at random times I needed toothpicks for something - usually something like rollup things - and couldn't find the previous boxes.

When I get my craft area sorted out, one of the boxes of flat toothpicks will go with the glue since that is the other major use I have for them - putting a tiny amount of glue somewhere. I don't think I will live long enough to use up all those toothpicks, though.

[quaint]

2. One person I know...

replaced her lollipop with a toothpick after replacing her cigarette with the lollipop.
Her dentist advised against both.

[Aristus]

6. I hadn't considered the smoking-cessation angle.

Although for my patients, I recommend sugarless gum or mints.

I've had patients tell me that unwrapping a mint or a piece of gum serves as an effective substitute for taking out the pack, tapping out a cigarette, holding it, and lighting it up.

Some former smokers need the ritual as much as the oral fixation.

[quaint]

8. Thanks! I'll pass on the suggestions.

[zanana1]

12. My husband used toothpicks when he quit smoking.

He usually had just one, but on a really bad day, he'd have as many as three in his mouth. I knew what kind of day he was having by looking at the toothpicks.

[Midnight Writer]

13. Yep, I know several people who use it as a substitute for smoking.

[XanaDUer2]

3. Wooden toothpicks skeeve me out nt

[Faux pas]

4. Lol

probably people who quit smoking picked up the toothpick habit. It looks cooler than thumb sucking

[TexasTowelie]

5. The extra-hot cinnamon toothpicks were the ones that left me bewildered.

They do freshen the breath, but is it worth the agony of burning the gums and lips, then having to drink a huge glass of icy water?

[FoxNewsSucks]

7. I love those

Tasty hot cinnamon, no agony for me.

I also love hot peppers and hot sauce.

[Sneederbunk]

11. Before hard drugs this was the bomb in grade school

[EYESORE 9001]

9. Liberty Insurance has that 'Doug' character

who is seen (far too) frequently with a toothpick hanging out of his mouth. That whole marketing schtick evokes, to me, some of the worst things about the ‘70s - dangling toothpicks included.

[rampartc]

10. liberty has some of the worst insurance commercials

but the emu and his partner are ok.

[Harker]

15. Sometimes I carry one around for a while after dinner.

I have a couple lousy teeth that food gets stuck in.

I never look very tough in my yukatas, though, and I'm glad about that.