Toothpicks Or Hors D'oeuvres Picks
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Containers, Tableware & Packaging · CPSC Code 431
Down 24% over 5 years
The verdict
Toothpicks Or Hors D'oeuvres Picks carry a danger score of 36/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 7,283 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 24% over the last five years.
- 36/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 7,283
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 5.5%
- end in hospital admission
- 5-14
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 431 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 36/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume7,283 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)5.5%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-24%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Toothpicks Or Hors D'oeuvres Picks (CPSC product code 431, in the Containers, Tableware & Packaging category) generate an estimated 7,283 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 145,665 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 36/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 24% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2005 (11,362 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2022 (3,767 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks is foreign body to the foot, accounting for approximately 45,127 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by puncture to the foot (29,404 cases). The 5-14 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 38,036 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 5.5% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 2 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 5,513 | 4,604 | |
| 5-14 | 19,675 | 18,361 | |
| 15-24 | 8,822 | 8,938 | |
| 25-34 | 8,814 | 9,596 | |
| 35-44 | 6,267 | 9,467 | |
| 45-54 | 7,316 | 9,397 | |
| 55-64 | 7,601 | 6,920 | |
| 65-74 | 3,533 | 3,974 | |
| 75+ | 3,690 | 3,177 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Foot | Foreign Body | |
| Foot | Puncture | |
| Internal | Ingestion | |
| Foot | Other | |
| Toe | Foreign Body | |
| Internal | Aspiration | |
| Ear | Foreign Body | |
| Toe | Puncture | |
| Ear | Other | |
| Mouth | Dental Injury | |
| Mouth | Other | |
| Mouth | Foreign Body | |
| Hand | Foreign Body | |
| Finger | Foreign Body | |
| Toe | Other |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
2YOF THAT WAS BROUGHT IN TO THE ER BY PARENTS FOR CONCERN THAT SHE MAY HAVE SWALLOWED A TOOTHPICK. THE PATIENT RAN UP TO HER MOTHER AND WAS GAGGING. DX: POSSIBLE ACCIDENTAL FOREIGN BODY INGESTION.
6YOF, TOOTHPICK IMPELLED BETWEEN 1ST 2 TOES ON RIGHT FOOT DX: NO DX, ELOPEMENT
78 YOM WITH LEFT HAND PAIN AFTER PRICKING HIMSELF WITH A TOOTHPICK TO HIS LEFT PALM 6 DAYS PTA. DX HAND ABSCESS, HAND CELLULITIS
7YOM HAS A TOOTHPICK IMBEDDED IN RIGHT FOOT DX:FOREIGN BODY RIGHT FOOT
24 YOM INADVERTENTLY SWALLOWED CHICKEN WITH 2 WOODEN TOOTHPICKS IN IT. DX: SWALLOWED FOREIGN BODY, WOODEN TOOTHPICK.
69 YOM RIGHT FOOT PAIN WORSENING OVER THE PAST WEEK AFTER ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON A TOOTHPICK AND IT BROKE OFF. STATES HE TRIED TO GET ALL OF IT OUT BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW IF HE DID. STATES A FEW DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT IT STARTED SWELLING REALLY BAD. DX CELLULITIS FOOT RIGHT, PUNCTURE WOUND RIGHT FOOT WITH FOREIGN BODY, LEUKOCYTOSIS, UTI
21YOF PT STEPPED ON TOOTHPICK THAT WAS IN PT'S SANDWICH - WHICH FELL TO FLOOR; PT WAS BAREFOOT DX: PUNCTURE WOUND TO LEFT FOOT
21 YOM ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOWED A TOOTHPICK THAT HE HAD IN HIS MOUTH. +FOREIGN BODY SENSATION. DX FOREIGN BODY SENSATION
72 YOM COMES TO ED FOR POSSIBLE INGESTION OF A TOOTHPICK, HAD ONE IN MOUTH WHILE DOING STUFF AROUND THE HOUSE, BENT OVER AND TOOTHPICK DISAPPEARED, DX: POSSIBLE FOREIGN BODY INGESTION
8 YOF STEPPED ON TOOTHPICK IN CARPET DX PUNCTURE WOUND FOOT
27 YOM WAS CHEWING ON A TOOTHPICK AND ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOWED A PIECE OF TOOTHPICK 4-5 HOURS AGO, HAS A SHARP SENSATION IN HIS THROAT. DX: FOREIGN BODY SENSATION IN THE THROAT
26YOM PRESENTS WITH FOREIGN BODY IN THE LEFT HEEL, PATIENT WALKED ON A TOOTHPICK AND IT BROKE OFF IN HIS FOOT. PATIENT STATES THAT HE DID GO TO HIS PMD TO HAVE TWO PEICES OF THE TOOTH PICK REMOVED, HE PRESENTED TODAY DUE TO MORE PAIN WHILE TRYING TO WALK. RETREIVAL OF THE REST OF TOOTHPICK WAS UNSUCCESFUL. WAS RECOMMENDED WARM WATER SOAK WITH EPSOM SALT. DX: FOREIGN BODY IN FOOT.
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Toothpicks bought at Publix supermarket in [REDACTED]. Country or origin China, brand Premier Stylz trademark of Unique IND Inc. Philadelphia Pa. places toothpick on fruit and in 20 seconds my sons mouth turned blue. What kinda of blue dye is on this product. No labeling is on bottle.
The consumer stated that all of the toothpicks have splinters. The consumer stated that she had incidents where the splinters were stuck in her teeth. The consumer used tweezer to take the splinter out. The consumer purchased multiple boxes over some period of time. The consumer stated that most of the toothpicks have splinters. The consumer stated that when she called the retailer they informed her that they do not sell this product. The consumer contacted the retailer at 337-893-6485.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks have a danger score of 36/100 (low risk). An estimated 7,283 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks?
The most common injury is foreign body to the foot, accounting for approximately 45,127 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks increasing or decreasing?
Down 24% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks injuries?
The 5-14 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 38,036 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks?
Of all ER visits involving toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks, approximately 5.5% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (94.5%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with toothpicks or hors d'oeuvres picks?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Containers, Tableware & Packaging
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 36/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 5-14 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
