Most people have experienced the mild annoyance of having food trapped between their teeth. But then you brush, floss and rinse and the problem is solved. And yet, what about when you get food trapped beneath your teeth? This can be an issue when you have a dental bridge. So what's the best way to dislodge food that has become trapped underneath your dental bridge? And what might it mean if it keeps happening to you?
The Problem of Trapped Food
Brushing and flossing aren't going to have much effect on food that has become trapped underneath your dental bridge. But still, you need to do something about it. However small the piece of food might be, it can still cause irritation as it rubs against your gums. It should also be remembered that the piece of food will quickly begin to decompose, with all the bacteria involved in that process. This means that you literally have a piece of rotting food in your mouth, and this can have an adverse effect on your oral health (not to mention your breath).
Removing Trapped Food
While you obviously still need to brush and floss both your dental bridge and your natural teeth, you'll need special assistance to get underneath that bridge. You'll need to have some superfloss handy (and you can get this at the drugstore, or even the supermarket—it's very easy to find). This is dental floss with a rigid end, followed by a frizzy tuft surrounding the string. The rigid end can easily be fed underneath the ridge of your dental bridge, and then the frizzy tuft will remove the debris. It's actually quite an easy thing to do, but you need to have special floss designed specifically for these hard-to-reach areas.
The Fit of Your Dental Bridge
While there are specific tools and methods designed to remove debris from beneath your dental bridge, you shouldn't have to constantly rely on them. When trapped food debris becomes a regular (even a daily) occurrence, there could be an issue with the actual dental bridge. This issue is unlikely to be a structural defect, but could simply be an improper fit. When the bridge wasn't correctly positioned with the necessary precision, its placement could have created the hollow where food debris is becoming trapped. It can also be that there have been some changes to the adjacent natural teeth that are securing the dental bridge in place. So in short, if food becoming trapped beneath your dental bridge is a constant annoyance, it can be wise to see your dentist.
You need to keep some superfloss in your bathroom cabinet, but when food is becoming regularly trapped underneath your dental bridge, you might want to schedule an appointment with your dentist.
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