Dental Pick

The dental pick is probably the one tool I couldn't live without. I use it almost every time I sit down to make minis. It can be a wonderful texturing tool for clay, a dotting tool when painting, it acts as a very tiny extension to my index finger when holding things. I can use it to help pick up things, to make holes and to just move stuff into place.

The dental pick in the photo is my favorite one and it is showing the wear of time. I tried to scrap off as much of the paint and glue that was on it before I took the picture. I like this shape the best because it is the easiest for me to work with. I have a few that are curved differently and although perfectly usable I find them to not be as easy to use. The curve on this one is just right and the length of the wire part is also perfect. The other ones I have are a bit longer in this wire section.

The best part of this tool is price, I have purchased all of the dental picks I use at the dollar store as part of dental hygiene kits. These kits usually include the pick, a toothbrush and sometimes other tools. If you get the kit that has a dental mirror you have a bonus and I'll talk about that wonderful (and useful) tool another day.