This article was co-authored by Ritu Thakur, MA. Ritu Thakur is a healthcare consultant in Delhi, India, with over 10 years of experience in Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga, and Holistic Care. She received her Bachelor Degree in Medicine (BAMS) in 2009 from BU University, Bhopal followed by her Master's in Health Care in 2011 from Apollo Institute of Health Care Management, Hyderabad.
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Cinnamon has a long history of varied use, dating back to the ancient world. Cultures in various eras have known of cinnamon's usefulness as a health aid, spice, and flavoring. Cinnamon toothpicks are commonly used to help with quitting smoking, dieting, breath freshening, and the standard use of tooth picks for removing food from between teeth.
Steps
Setting Up the Cinnamon Soak
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1Fill a glass or mason jar with 2 ounces cinnamon bark oil. The oil needs to cover the bottom of the jar, and the jar should be one that you can seal with an airtight lid.[1]
- Make sure the jar is glass, not plastic. This will affect the soak. The jar should probably be 12 to 16 ounces in capacity. [2]
- Cinnamon oil is usually available in a drugstore. You may need to ask for counter service to retrieve it.
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2Place all of the toothpicks you intend to soak into the jar. You want to do as many at the same time as you can, so 100 or more per setting is recommended.
- Toothpicks come in many bundle-sizes, so you should be fine doing up to 500 in a setting if you are so inclined.
- If you are concerned about a mess, make sure the jar and area around is on a non-absorbing towel or surface you can clean later. The non-absorbing part is crucial for a later step.
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3Seal the jar. It is important that this be an airtight cover once the toothpicks are placed in the jar coated inside with the cinnamon oil.[3]
- The lid will keep the oil fresh and allow it to travel up the wood of the toothpicks to complete the soak.
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4Let the soak remain undisturbed overnight. The longer the toothpicks soak, the spicier or "hotter" they will become.
- The longer the soak goes on, the more cinnamon flavor the toothpicks will absorb.
- Avoid soaking the toothpicks for a full day or they may become hot enough to burn the mouth of someone trying to enjoy them.
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5Prepare a non-absorbing area to dry the toothpicks. Do this before the soak is complete.
- Make sure this area is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- If there are towels or rags laid out for the toothpicks to rest upon, make sure they will not inadvertently absorb the cinnamon oil from the toothpicks. So, avoid napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, and the like.
- Try plastic wrap, cookie sheets, or similar instead.
Handling the Toothpicks After the Soak
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1Remove the toothpicks to the prepared surface. Make sure nothing on the surface will absorb the oil soaked into the toothpicks.
- Lay the toothpicks out flat and spread out on the surface. They will dry more quickly and evenly this way.
- Make sure you have re-sealed the jar with the cinnamon oil after the toothpicks are removed. This will preserve the oil.
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2Test the sticks' dryness after a few hours. They will be ready to use once they are dry. If they are still damp after a lengthy wait, you may attempt to dry them manually.[4]
- If drying is taking too long, you may want to risk using napkins to dab the toothpicks dry with gentle pat-downs. Don't risk breaking the toothpicks or rubbing off the oils prematurely.
- Also consider moving the toothpicks to another location in case the environment itself is perhaps too humid for drying.
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3Store the toothpicks for later use. There are a number of containers you could use, but you may want something fairly portable.
- If your toothpicks originally came in a seal-able plastic container, consider using that again to transport them with you.
- A small plastic jar or box is usually best and easily found at most stores.
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4Save the cinnamon oil for later use. Cinnamon has many uses as a spice and health remedy, plus you may want to make more soaks for toothpicks.[5]
- Keep the oil in the airtight-sealed jar and place the jar in a cool, dark place.
- Make sure wherever you place the jar is away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
- Spice shelf life can vary quite a bit, from months to years, so check with your seller.
- Cinnamon oil has numerous other uses including killing bacteria (particularly in food), it's a preservative, it controls the spread of mosquitoes, it can be used as a massage oil, it can assist with digestive problems, and its often used with warm compresses.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionDo cinnamon toothpicks help you quit smoking?
Ritu Thakur, MARitu Thakur is a healthcare consultant in Delhi, India, with over 10 years of experience in Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga, and Holistic Care. She received her Bachelor Degree in Medicine (BAMS) in 2009 from BU University, Bhopal followed by her Master's in Health Care in 2011 from Apollo Institute of Health Care Management, Hyderabad.
Natural Health Care SpecialistYes! Chewing cinnamon toothpicks can freshen breath, help with quitting smoking, and with dieting.
Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionCan you use cinnamon extract?
Zora Degrandpre, NDDr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
Natural Health DoctorYes, you can use cinnamon extract. However, it may not have the same strength.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
Warnings
- Letting the toothpicks soak in the cinnamon oil for a day or more risks them becoming hot enough to injure the mouth of someone who tastes them.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- This is merely a home remedy, not a medical alternative. Consult a health professional for more extensive methods to deal with smoking habits, diet, and/or oral hygiene.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- 2 oz. cinnamon bark oil
- 12-16 oz. glass, airtight jar with a lid
- 100+ wooden toothpicks
References
- ↑ http://www.therisingspoon.com/2015/02/how-to-make-flavored-toothpicks.html
- ↑ https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/storing.asp
- ↑ http://www.therisingspoon.com/2015/02/how-to-make-flavored-toothpicks.html
- ↑ http://www.therisingspoon.com/2015/02/how-to-make-flavored-toothpicks.html
- ↑ https://www.thehealthy.com/home-remedies/cinnamon-oil-benefits/
About This Article
To make cinnamon toothpicks, start by filling a glass jar with 2 ounces of cinnamon bark oil. Next, place all of your toothpicks into the jar, seal the lid tightly, and let the toothpicks soak overnight but no longer than 24 hours. Then, spread out clean towels on a flat surface and scatter the soaked toothpicks evenly on top so they can dry out. Finally, after they're completely dry, store your toothpicks in an air-tight plastic container! For tips on reusing cinnamon bark oil, read on!
