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25 Feb Food Stuck in Your Gums? Here Are The Steps You Should Take
You’re eating and suddenly you either feel or notice later a piece of food stuck in your gums. This is often a common occurrence, especially with meat, popcorn, chips, and fruit. Normally, this does not need to be a cause for concern because you can easily rinse the lodged particles away with water or mouthwash. However, sometimes stubborn food debris cannot be removed with a simple rinse, which can result in problems like pressure and even pain. This can be most troubling if you have a habit of chewing on non-edible objects and a fragment breaks off and gets stuck in your gums. Regardless of if it is food or not, you never want to let something stay lodged in your gums for too long. Here are some steps you should take on how to remove food from your gum line.
How to Remove Food From Your Gum Line
Stay calm: The first step if you find yourself in this situation is to remain level-headed. Even if you find yourself in a state of discomfort, you must stay calm in order to not do anything rash. If your gums start to bleed, rinse with lukewarm saltwater too soothe the injured tissue and wash away blood for a better view of the area.
Don’t use sharp objects: If you have tried rinsing thoroughly and still need to know how to remove food from your gum line, it is crucial that you do not resort to using sharp objects. Toothpicks and other pointed tools can easily injure your gum and damage your teeth.
Try flossing: Try reaching for waxed dental floss. The wax coating lets the floss slide easier between your teeth to work around the lodged particle. While flossing, be sure not to force the floss into place as this can damage your gums. If wax dental floss fails, consider using an oral irrigator, or water flosser, to try loosening any debris.
Contact your dentist: Ultimately, if the aforementioned steps do not work and the object is still stuck, call to book an appointment with your dentist at DP5th. We are here to help!
