If you’ve ever been munching a handful of popcorn only to feel a kernel slide between your teeth, then you understand how frustrating and painful it can be. While you might not think of a stuck object as a dental emergency, you might inadvertently injure your enamel or gums in your attempt to remove it, which might require immediate attention.
Continue reading to learn about 3 helpful hints for safely addressing something trapped in your smile so you don’t hurt yourself trying to pry it free!
Tip #1: Rinse with Water
Although you might feel tempted to reach for a knife or a fork to try to scrape away whatever was jammed between your chompers, doing so can damage your enamel or lacerate your gums. Unfortunately, this allows bacteria in your mouth to penetrate your teeth or connective tissues to cause disease and decay.
It’s much safer to try to free the object by rinsing your mouth gently with water. You can even try mixing ½ teaspoon of salt into 8oz of warm water to naturally disinfect your mouth and draw out any irritating fluid buildup in your gums.
Tip #2: Floss Gently
You likely already know that brushing alone isn’t enough to thoroughly remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums because the bristles don’t reach between them or under the surface of your gums. Floss was made to slide into these hard-to-reach areas to clear away leftover food or debris to keep your mouth clean.
If something is stuck between your teeth, you can try removing it with floss. Try not to press too deeply into the pockets of your gums, though, because you might accidentally shove the item even deeper if you’re not careful.
Tip #3: Contact Your Dentist
If you’ve tried several different methods and nothing has successfully dislodged whatever is jammed in your grin, the next best step is to contact your dentist. You might feel silly, but seeking professional assistance is better than allowing it to go unaddressed. Trapped food attracts harmful germs that contribute to cavities and periodontal problems, and if you can’t safely remove it on your own, your dental team is more than happy to assist.
They have expertise and equipment, like X-rays, intraoral cameras, and special dental instruments that can safely reach between your teeth so they can determine where and how to extract what has lodged itself there.
Meet the Author
Dr. Justin Geller has nearly 30 years of experience providing a complete menu of services to help people of all ages build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. He earned his dental degree from the University of Detroit and then completed additional training courses through Force Orthodontics, the Midwest Implant Institute, and the Clinical Mastery Series. Today, he can help with everything from basic preventive care to providing same-day emergency appointments, so if something has happened, you don’t have to wait to be seen. If something is lodged in your teeth, you can request an appointment on the website or call (248) 926-4030.