Why Does Food Keep Getting Stuck Between the Same Two Teeth?
You know the scenario, you’ve finished your food, you clean your teeth and, again, there’s a piece of food stuck in the same place as always. And it is not only inconvenient, there’s a good chance there’s a reason it keeps happening in the same place.
Teeth Are Meant to Fit Snugly
In a healthy mouth, neighbouring teeth touch at the contact point, a tight spot where food happily slides past. When this is disrupted in any way, food has a habit of getting stuck in the resulting space.
A cavity can be the culprit
One of the most common causes for food to get stuck repeatedly in the same place is a cavity forming on the side of a tooth, right next to its neighbour, and as this progresses, it can create a bump or ledge in the contact point, providing a nice home for food to gather.
Old fillings can change shape over time
Fillings and restorations are not indestructible things that never change, and over time can become worn, chipped, or the contact point with a neighbouring tooth can loosen, providing a space for food to gather.
Gum changes can open up space
As gums change and recede over time, the small triangular piece of gum that fills the gap underneath the contact point can shrink, leaving a visible gap (often colloquially referred to as a black triangle) for food to gather in.
Teeth can shift, even slightly
Your teeth are not permanently fixed in place, and can slowly move over time for a variety of reasons, sometimes as a result of a missing tooth elsewhere in your mouth, or grinding or other habits you fall into with age, leaving small gaps between teeth that were once inseparable.
When there’s a genuine gap
Sometimes there’s a gap between two of your teeth, period. While not a problem in and of itself, this can be an explanation as to why food keeps getting stuck in the same place, as it is essentially a permanent, built-in home for it.
Wisdom teeth and the back of the mouth
Food getting stuck towards the very back of your mouth is often a tell-tale sign of something going on with your wisdom teeth, erupting or applying pressure on the molar in front of it.
Why flossing alone isn’t always enough
As important as it is to floss or use an interdental brush to clean any food trapped in between teeth, this only addresses the symptom, not the cause, and if a cavity or old filling is the culprit, simply cleaning around it will only do so much to stop it from recurring.
The trouble with toothpicks
Whilst it might be tempting to use a toothpick to dislodge any particularly stubborn bits of food, repeated aggressive use can actually damage the sensitive gum tissue between teeth, an interdental brush or floss specifically designed for the task is a much gentler option.
This symptom alone doesn’t tell the whole story
Whilst a piece of food getting stuck in the same place is an excellent start to diagnosing the issue, it’s rarely enough on its own to identify exactly what is going on, a cavity, worn filling, receding gums and a natural gap between teeth can unfortunately all present themselves in a similar way, which is why a trip to the dentist and potentially an x-ray are necessary to identify the root cause.
When a filling may be the right fix
If a cavity is suspected as the cause of your issue, a composite filling can often be used to restore the damaged tooth, recreating the contact point, returning your teeth to their natural, snag-free state.
A gentle next step
If food keeps getting stuck in the same place after every meal, it’s a good idea to have it looked at by a professional rather than simply brushing it away every time, at Mumtaj Dental Care we can identify the cause of your issue, and if a composite filling or restoration is deemed necessary, restore a more comfortable, snag-free fit between your teeth.
