Remaining Calm Can Help You Safely Remove Something Stuck Between Your Teeth

Getting a piece of food like a tough meat fiber or fruit peel stuck between your teeth is rarely a cause for concern. However, if you have a bad habit of nervously nibbling on pencils and pens, or you bite your nails, it is possible for a fragment to break off and become painfully stuck between your teeth.

Remaining calm in a situation like this can help you safely extract the object. To aid in this effort, Dr. Elhameh Allamehzadeh and the staff at Dr. Ellie's Gentle Dentistry offer some important insights.

Many times, the easiest way to remove an object stuck between two teeth is to use waxed dental floss. The thin waxy layer on the strand allows it to slide easier between teeth to work around the offending object.

You should never try to force the floss or snap it between the teeth. This could drive the object towards your gums or cause additional harm. If you have one on hand a floss threader loaded with waxed dental floss can help you work the strand at a different angle.

A water flosser like Waterpik® might also be helpful. The concentrated stream of water these devices create could help loosen the object from between your teeth. Sometimes it can even clear debris that is helping to hold the piece of food in place.

If you live in the San Diego, California, area and these measures have failed to remove the offending item from between your teeth, you can always call 619-542-1800 to have it professionally extracted by Dr. Elhameh Allamehzadeh.