Getting Food Stuck Between Your Teeth?

Some general oral health advice from your Burton family dentists.

Trapped food, along with ‘bad’ oral bacteria, are two of the main reasons for tooth decay. As food debris in the mouth is broken down by bacteria, acidic by-products are created that eat into the enamel of our teeth. In addition to this, decaying food stuffs will give off an odour and leave our breath much less fresh than it should be!

Whilst most of us hopefully do brush our at least twice a day, this alone is not enough to remove all the food, especially that which is trapped and more difficult to remove.

Below, we offer some quick and easy oral care tips to make sure that trapped food does not cause you problems such as decay or gum disease.

1. Instant removal – When you have finished eating, this is the time when the largest amount of food will have become trapped. You may not wish to brush your teeth immediately, especially if you are eating out, but a quick trip to the bathroom is all that is needed. A simple way to remove larger food particles is to swill your mouth well with water and spit. This is a good start and will also help to save any embarrassment from food stuck between your teeth.
2. Brush and floss – Hopefully, you already brush your teeth, but many people do not use dental floss or any other inter-dental devices though. This results in food remaining trapped between the teeth, and, when this happens, bacteria can build up, potentially leading to gingivitis and decay. Flossing is not difficult and we are always happy to demonstrate this for you.
3. Dentist and hygienist – In addition to your regular checks at our Burton Dental Practice, we also recommend seeing our resident dental hygienists. They will be able to advise you of any improvements that you can make to your oral health care and will also thoroughly clean your teeth. This is an effective way of removing hardened bacteria (tartar) which may be a precursor to gum disease.
4. Orthodontics – Food is much more likely to become trapped and difficult to remove, where teeth are crooked and overlap. Orthodontic treatments available at our Burton practice are a great long term solution for not only improving the appearance of your teeth, but your overall oral health too. Care should be taken whilst wearing braces, as food can also become trapped in them. So diligent personal oral care is particularly important during teeth straightening treatment.

Problems will always occur however well you take care of your teeth at home, if you do not also seek professional dental care. At Mike Allen’s Dental Practice, we encourage our patients to make us a regular part of their oral health care regimen in order to provide a comprehensive overview and carry out any treatment when it becomes necessary. We are always available for appointments which can be made by calling us on 01283 845345.