If you get food stuck between teeth after you eat in one area of your mouth, it can be very irritating and even embarrassing, especially if you are out for dinner with your friends or clients. There are some common causes for this and most are easily fixed.
Common Causes of Food Stuck Between Teeth:
Some of the most common causes of food stuck between teeth are:
- not cleaning your teeth properly causing plaque and tartar to build up, which is rough and attracts more food to get stuck
- broken tooth, filling or chipped crown
- cavities between teeth
- recent tooth shifting causing a small space between teeth where there wasn’t one before
Solutions to Food Stuck Between Teeth
First step to a simple fix for food getting stuck between teeth is to see your dentist to assess the problem and discuss solutions. If it’s a simple issue of plaque and tartar build-up, then a good professional cleaning will be all that’s needed. If you have cavities causing this problem, you will likely need a filling or two. If a tooth has broken or a crown has chipped, sometimes a crown will be needed to properly restore the tooth. Don’t delay getting to see your dentist since the longer a food trap remains, the more food will get stuck there causing further decay and progression of tooth break-down.
Other Options
Sometimes if you leave a food trap too long, you may need tooth extraction with a future implant to restore the space.
If food is getting stuck between your teeth due to multiple teeth shifting causing generalized gapping, orthodontics or veneers and crowns may be an option to help close the gaps functionally and aesthetically.
If you have any questions about this or other dental related issues, contact us.
