We’ve all most likely been there – indulging in a box of Milk Duds® or bag of popcorn at the movie theatre and then all of the sudden you’re scrounging around your teeth with your tongue trying to get every little piece out from between your teeth. It’s a known fact – food gets stuck in teeth! Here is a list of the top five foods that cause a sticky situation and what to do about it:
Chewy Candy
Chewy candy such as jellybeans, taffy, caramels, or gummy bears make for an extremely sticky situation. The stickier the candy, the worse it tends to be for your teeth. A triple whammy of negatives – chewy, sugary, and acidic – these candies, especially the “sour” varieties, tend to stick to and between teeth for long periods of time. When this occurs, bacteria easily feast on the deposited sugar to make acid which dissolves the protective layer of teeth and in turn causes cavities.
Hard Candy
From Jolly Ranchers® to lollipops, hard candies tend to cling to teeth. When hard candy clings to teeth it dissolves slowly and saturates the mouth for several minutes at a time. When this occurs, bacteria have more time to produce harmful acid which can cause decay over time. Many varieties of hard candy are flavored with citric acid. Citric acid is a known culprit of tooth enamel erosion. Additionally, if you bite down with force on some hard candies, you may chip your teeth which leads to an even stickier situation.
Seeds
Seeds come in a variety of forms – from sunflower seeds to the tiny seeds on a bagel. Often times these types of seeds can wedge between your teeth and under your gums, and may feel impossible to remove. Additionally, many healthy treats have seeds that could present challenges as well. Raspberries and blackberries have small seeds that can become stuck between teeth or in the anatomical crown (top part) of your teeth.
Popcorn
Whether you like popcorn with or without butter, having a popcorn shell stuck in between your teeth or even your gums can cause irritation and frustration. If the shell isn’t removed from between your teeth or gumline, it could lead to an abscess.
Potato Chips
It may be hard to deny the satisfying crunch and savory flavor of a potato chip, but this light and crunchy snack becomes a gooey substance when chewed that easily gets stuck in your teeth. Additionally, potato chips are full of starch that feeds the plaque inside your mouth.
Tips and Tricks for Sticky Situations
It’s hard to avoid sticky foods all together, but it’s important to avoid the urge to use your fingernails, tongue, or other sharp objects to remove stuck food particles. Doing this could cause harm to your teeth, gums, and tongue. Try these useful tricks instead:
Keep floss handy and use it often.
Swish water around your mouth to loosen food particles.
Chew sugar-free gum to help unstick stubborn food pieces.
Contact your dentist if you’re having difficulty
Causes of Food Getting Stuck in Your Teeth
If you seem to get food stuck in your teeth frequently, it may be cause for concern. The following causes may be the culprit:
If you’re struggling with food debris getting lodged in your teeth or gums, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your dentist. The dentist will be able to rule out possible culprits or provide treatment if necessary.
Roseman Dental is committed to providing outstanding, affordable dental and orthodontic care. Contact Roseman Dental to request a dental examination or free orthodontic screening (Nevada location only) and consultation today!
Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients and perform hundreds of roles in the body – including keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Your teeth and gums are the first point of contact for the nutrients you consume and kick off the digestion process. In fact, your teeth play a vital role in extracting the greatest amount of nutrients from your food as you chew.
Get more out of each bite. Below are five of the best vitamins and minerals for healthy teeth and gums, as well as foods associated with them.
Calcium
The age-old adage of calcium helps build strong bones, couldn’t be truer when it comes to your teeth. Your teeth and jawbone rely on calcium to keep them healthy and strong. In addition, calcium helps prevent gum disease. Calcium rich foods consist of dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Don’t consume dairy products? There are several non-dairy, calcium rich alternatives:
Calcium-fortified juices, cereals, breads, and plant-based milk alternatives such as almond milk or oat milk
Canned fish
Soybeans and soy products
Leafy greens such as collard and turnip greens, kale, and bok choy
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is great for your mouth as it aids in the production of saliva. Saliva helps to break down your food and works to clean the bacteria from between your teeth – preventing tooth decay. Vitamin A can be consumed through orange-colored fruits such as mangos, cantaloupes, papayas, apricots, tangerines, and nectarines. Additionally, vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers provide Vitamin A, as well as fish and egg yolks.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential in strengthening your gums. Without enough Vitamin C, your teeth can become loose and fragile as your gums weaken. Additionally, you’re prone to developing gingivitis and gum disease. To ensure you receive enough Vitamin C to keep your gums strong and healthy try to consume citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges, as well as peppers, kale, berries, and sweet potatoes.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus helps your body absorb calcium and supports in building strong bones and teeth. Phosphorus is found in a wide range of foods including shrimp, tuna, salmon, soybeans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, beef, pork, and cheese.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential to a healthy mouth as it helps your body absorb both calcium and phosphorus. Therefore, it’s crucial to get an adequate amount of Vitamin D to get the most out of your calcium intake. Vitamin D deficiencies can take a toll on oral health and lead to several oral health disorders such as gingival inflammation, cavities, and gum disease. Soaking up some sun could help with Vitamin D levels. Additionally, Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish, canned tuna, Portobello mushrooms, and fortified drinks and foods such as milk, orange juice, and breakfast cereals.
Consuming a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy, lean meats is essential to your overall health and well-being – oral health included. Understanding how these essential vitamins impact your teeth and gums can help your extended oral care. Additionally, it’s important to stay up-to-date with your dental exams to ensure your oral health is in tip-top shape. If it’s been a while since you visited the dentist contact Roseman Dental to schedule a dental exam.
Welcome to Roseman Dental’s Dental 360° monthly e-newsletter. Each month you’ll receive a panoramic view of dental health. Dental health is key to your overall health and here at Roseman Dental, we are dedicated to improving not only your mouth, but your whole self. At our clinic we have an excellent team of licensed dentists, orthodontists, orthodontic residents – 30 to be exact, and dental residents all focused on you and your family’s oral health. Roseman Dental has been serving its community since 2009 and is a one stop shop for all your dental needs.
This month is National Nutrition Month®, a month-long national health observance started by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. To learn more about National Nutrition Month click here. In this month’s newsletter you’ll also be educated on nutrition and oral health and how they go hand-in-hand. Your oral health and nutritional health have a bidirectional relationship. Learn more about this important relationship here.
If you’ve been looking to get braces make sure to spring into a new smile with Roseman Dental’s orthodontic discounts that began this month. To learn more about the discounts click here.
We hope you find Dental 360° helpful and informative. We look forward to connecting with you monthly.
Braces can be expensive, but price shouldn’t be a deterrent to getting the smile you’ve always wanted. Start your Spring off right and take advantage of Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ discounts. This month Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has released four (4) new orthodontic discounts.
Discount #1 – Multiple Patient from a Household
Receive 10% discount on the second or more persons in a household who have each signed an orthodontic treatment contract (first person in household full fee or potential other discount that could apply). This discount is ongoing and there is no end date for this discount.
Discount #2 – Referral Incentive
If an orthodontic patient is referred to Roseman Dental & Orthodontics by a staff member, faculty or resident, the orthodontic patient will receive a 10% discount on a signed orthodontic treatment contract.
Discount #3 – Existing Patient Referral Incentive
If an orthodontic patient is referred to Roseman Dental & Orthodontics by an existing orthodontic patient of Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, the new orthodontic patient will receive a 10% discount on a signed treatment contract and the referring orthodontic patient will receive a $100 credit towards their orthodontic treatment contract charges. If their treatment is paid in full, they will receive a $100 gift card. The existing orthodontic patient will receive the credit or gift card once the orthodontic treatment contract is signed and started by the orthodontic patient they referred.
Discount #4 – Spring New Patient
Starting in March a 5% discount on orthodontic treatment contracts will be applied to contracts that begin between 3/1/2021 and 5/1/2021.
Existing Discount – Pay in Full
If orthodontic patient pays entire treatment contract in full a 5% discount will be applied.
Roseman Dental & Orthodontics also offers Roseman Employee and Student orthodontic discounts as well as a 10% orthodontic Veterans discount. Please call Roseman Dental & Orthodontics at 702-968-5222 for additional information.
Disclaimer
Orthodontic patients will only be eligible for one discount at a time. They will be able to apply the higher discount amount if they are eligible for more than one discount. The only discount that can be coordinated with any other discount is the Pay in Full discount of 5%.
