“Do I Have Something in My Teeth?”

It never fails. You’re at an important business dinner with your boss; you’re meeting a blind date for a first-time brunch; you’re at your significant other’s parents’ house for Sunday family dinner and a piece of spinach quiche gets wedged between your two front teeth. Embarrassing dental moments like those can be awkward, especially if they happen around people you’re trying to impress. At my dental office in Charlottesville, we have a few tips and tricks to easily resolve any dental faux pas with ease.

If you do get a piece of food stuck in your teeth, there are several ways that you can remove it. Some of the techniques can be done at the table and are subtle enough to not draw unwanted attention. For example, swishing some water around in your mouth can be successful in loosening your lingering piece of lunch. If water doesn’t work, a piece of sugarless gum can help unstick the wedged food particle. However, there are times when the food is really stuck in there and water swishing and gum chewing won’t budge it.

When this happens, you’ll have to take the next steps and excuse yourself from the table and visit the restroom. If you have some floss, which we always recommend carrying, it’s the best at removing anything that’s stuck between your teeth. If no floss is available, a corner of a folded paper towel could work, too. It’s important never to use something that could cause damage like hairpins, tweezers, keys, or pens.

Other times, it’s not a lingering piece of food that causes awkward moments, but the lingering stench of your garlic pasta entree. If post-dinner bad breath is common for you, make it a point to buy some sugarless gum before you arrive at the meal and chew it when you’re finished eating. However, if you don’t have any gum, there are other tricks you can use to squash bad breath.

Water can help wash bad breath culprits from the tongue, and if you need to take it a step further, a spoon or tongue scraper can be used (It’s best to not use either at the table – head to the restroom instead). If your bad breath is more of an everyday occurrence and not just a sporadic, post-meal problem, it may be a sign of something more serious and we recommend a visit your dentist in Charlottesville.

Nobody enjoys awkward moments at events that are already stressful, but with a little planning ahead (buy that gum, pack that floss), and with the knowledge of helpful tips and tricks for fixing embarrassing moments with poise, you’re ready to handle any embarrassing smile moment.

Serving patients in Charlottesville, Earlysville, Ruckersville, and surrounding communities.