It’s not an uncommon occurrence to be eating a snack or a meal and getting something stuck between your teeth. While this can happen with just about any type of food, it is even more likely to be a problem with meat fibers, popcorn hulls, or fruit peels. While the object can sometimes be removed by a quick swish of a beverage or the play of your tongue, there are rare occasions when it could become uncomfortably stuck.
In a situation like this, your dentist, Dr. Christopher Hulen, offers these key insights to help you safely remove a piece of food that is stuck between your teeth.
The first thing to try is vigorously rinsing the area with lukewarm saltwater. This might help dislodge the food particle on its own. If anything, it could give you a better view of the problem.
You should never use toothpicks or sharp, pointed tools to pry the object loose. This could injure your gums or even damage your teeth.
Waxed dental floss is the ideal tool for clearing the object from between your teeth. The waxy coating allows the strand to slide easier between the teeth to work around the foreign object. You should never force the floss into place as it could seriously injure your gums. A floss threader loaded with waxed floss might also help you work at the object from a different position.
If you still cannot free the food particle from between your teeth, you can always call 765-675-8745 to have it professionally removed at Hulen Family Dentistry. Your dentist in Tipton, Indiana, is happy to help you.