There are certain foods, like a popcorn hull, meat fibers, seeds, and fruit peels, that can get stubbornly stuck between your teeth. Sometimes a piece of food or a foreign object can get stuck in your gumline. This situation could be even more serious if you have a bad habit of chewing on objects like pencils and pens. If a foreign object punctures your gums and causes pain and bleeding, you should seek emergency care in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
You should never attempt to use toothpicks or sharp, pointed tools to pry the stuck item loose. This could cause significant injury to your gums and teeth. If your gums are bleeding, you might want to try vigorously rinsing your mouth with saltwater. This can help wash away blood, sooth sensitive gum tissues and loosen the object.
Sometimes waxed dental floss can slide up into the gumline and work around the foreign object. Make sure not to force the floss into place because it could seriously injure your gums.
If waxed dental floss can’t dislodge the object, you could try using a dental fountain or oral water jet. The concentrated stream of water can sometimes massage the object free from your gumline or at the very least change its position in the gums so another attempt with waxed floss might do the trick.
If you still can’t remove the object easily, you should call your dentist, Dr. [dotor_name], at (605) 335-8640 to schedule an appointment so they can safely remove the object from your gums. Our Prairie Dental Center team looks forward to helping you!