A toothpick is an essential part of our daily life which is used in our everyday personal hygiene to do small important tasks. It is commonly used in cooking and baking too.
You may often find that it is used from keep wrapped food items wrapped to many other things.
You may ask if you can put a toothpick in the oven or not. Let us help you answer that question and let you some essential information about it as well.
Can you put a toothpick in the oven?
You can put a toothpick in the oven. Putting a toothpick in the oven is completely safe under most circumstances. But if you need to put it for a long period of time, you may have to consider using toothpicks that are made for the oven or you may need to soak it before putting it in the oven.
A toothpick is a necessary accessory to cock food in the oven. It is used in keeping various foods in place for proper cooking.
It can be used to check if the food is cooked or not. So, it can be said that toothpick is vital to cook food and decorate the food as well.
There are various types of ovens in the market. People use all of them for various reasons and they all serve a different purpose to everyone in cooking various food.
You may ask in which oven you can use toothpicks then. Let us help you get that by discussing if you can use a toothpick in some widely used ovens:
Toaster oven:
Yes, you can use a toothpick in the toaster oven. Toaster ovens are made to bake bakery items most of the time. You can bake muffins, cakes, cookies and many more delicious items.
While you are cooking these meals, you might need something to hold their shape intact. For example, if you are baking a Croissant, you might need something to hold its shape.
A toothpick can be used for that job. It can keep the food in place as you like. Also, it can be used in the toaster oven as well.
Microwave oven:
No, you cannot use a toothpick in the microwave. Unlike a toaster oven, you cannot use a toothpick in a microwave oven.
Any kind of sharp object can cause sparks and fire inside the over. Even if it is a nonmetal object, it will cause harm to your oven and may result in something bad.
Are these toothpicks safe for the oven?
Toothpicks are essential for cooking in the oven. But there are various kinds of toothpicks available in the market. They all have different needs in a different kinds of food. So, all of them are vital for cooking.
But you may ask that among all of these toothpicks, which can be used inside the oven. To answer that question let us help you know if some of the most used toothpicks can be used in the oven or not:
Wooden toothpicks:
Yes, wooden toothpicks can be used in the oven. But you have to keep in mind that you cannot use them for longer periods.
If you use them for longer periods, it may start a fire in the oven which may damage your oven and even become a risk for everyone.
Bamboo toothpicks:
Yes, you can use bamboo toothpicks in the oven. Sometimes, they are known as skewers. Whatever the name is, you can use it in the oven without a doubt.
But you must keep in mind to soak them for 30 minutes in the water before you use them in the oven.
Colored toothpicks:
Colored toothpicks can be used in the oven. Many people may think that the color may cause harm to the food if you use it in the oven.
But the color that is used on the toothpicks is safe for everyone. Also, it does not cause any harm to anyone as well.
Plastic toothpicks:
No, you cannot use plastic toothpicks in the oven. Plastic is not safe in most cases when it comes to using it in the oven. The temperature in the oven gets very high. Thus, the plastic toothpicks may melt and cause a lot of problems.
But recently ovenproof plastic toothpicks are under development and hopefully you may see them soon in the future.
Frilled toothpicks:
You cannot use frilled toothpicks in the oven. These toothpicks are made specifically for decoration over your baked food.
The decoration that these toothpicks have may be plastic-based which is not overproof. Therefore, frilled toothpicks are not meant to be used in the oven.
Will toothpicks catch on fire in the oven?
Toothpicks will not catch on fire in the oven. Toothpicks are commonly used in the oven. They are used to keep the food in place as it needs it to be while cooking. So, the toothpick has to be under a high temperature for quite some time.
But even after that, toothpicks will not catch fire in the oven. The reason behind this is that the temperature inside the oven while running is below the ignition temperature of the toothpicks.
Except toothpicks made of plastic or have plastic decoration, all toothpicks have an ignition temperature of 400 – 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
All ovens run below that temperature. So, there is no possible reason why a toothpick will catch on fire in the oven.
Will plastic toothpicks melt in the oven?
Yes, plastic toothpicks will melt in the oven. Plastic is vulnerable to heat. It starts to melt when the temperature around it is high. The temperature inside an oven is around 350 – 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Which is enough for plastic to melt.
Plastic starts to melt at around 270 – 300 degrees Fahrenheit. So, using plastic toothpicks will cause a lot of problems for you as they will melt inside the oven and will ruin the dish that you are trying to cook.
Can you bake with a toothpick in?
You can bake with a toothpick in. It is commonly seen that for baking, toaster ovens are used. If you are careful enough, you can use toothpicks inside the oven while baking your delicious food.
But you must remember not to use plastic or frilled toothpicks and soak the toothpicks that you will use in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
You can bake toothpicks with polymer clay. It is totally fine if you want to bake your polymer clay in the oven with toothpicks in it to hold its shape.
If you have any toothpicks outside the polymer clay, soak that bit with water for 10 minutes so that it does not catch fire.
How to keep toothpicks from burning in the oven?
Toothpicks are an essential accessory for cooking and baking in the oven. It helps the cook to keep the food in the place. It helps in other baking-related matters in the oven too. But toothpicks may get burned in the oven in some cases.
You may ask how to keep toothpicks from burning in the oven. Here are some tips that will help you keep your toothpicks in the oven from burning:
Do not use toothpicks in microwave ovens:
Toothpicks can get burned in microwave ovens. As in these ovens, they tend to create sparks on sharp objects inside the microwave oven.
Even if the object is nonmetallic, it will create sparks and may cause it to burn. Thus, it is wise to not use toothpicks in a microwave oven.
Soak them in water before using:
Before you use toothpicks in the oven, soak them in water for 15 – 30 minutes. It helps the toothpicks to be moisturized. Therefore, it can prevent them from getting burned.
Do not use the same toothpick again:
If you a toothpick once in the oven, it will be better for you not to use it again in the oven. It can prevent your toothpicks from getting burnt.
What can I use instead of toothpicks in the oven?
There are several alternatives that you can use instead of toothpicks in the oven. But whatever you use, you must keep in mind that the alternative must have one sharp point and it must have an ignition or melting temperature of above 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is commonly seen that people use Spaghetti instead of toothpicks in the oven. Uncooked Spaghetti is a great alternative for toothpicks.
It can hold the food in position and can be used inside the oven without any problem. It will cause no harm to the food as it is harmless.
Final thoughts
You can use a toothpick in the oven. You can use any toothpicks without plastic and frilled. These toothpicks will melt and will ruin your beautiful food. Moreover, while using toothpicks you should consider soaking them in water for 30 minutes so that they do not catch on fire in any way.