When eating, most people likely don’t stop to think about the dangers of trapped food. This problem can be a serious dental concern because it may trigger a multitude of issues, including bad breath and even cavities. Fully understanding this problem — and how to manage it — improves the oral health of anybody who follows these guidelines. Here’s what you need to know.
Food May Get Trapped in a Mouth
Although the vast majority of the food a person eats will disappear down their throat, small particles may linger in the mouth. These trapped food bits often work their way between teeth, into spots between the teeth and gums, and into small recesses in the teeth. Even worse, food may end up in cavities in the teeth caused by dental decay.
Wherever it is trapped, excess food in the mouth provides bacteria and plaque with plenty of energy for expansion. And, as this food sits in the mouth, it will inevitably start to rot and may cause other health problems that can be very frustrating to manage.
Trapped Food Causes Bad Breath
As previously mentioned, food trapped in a mouth will slowly start to rot. This process is as gross as it sounds and is one of the primary causes of bad breath. For example, food stuck in hard-to-reach cavities in the back of the mouth will slowly decay and spread the odor of decay through the mouth.
Unfortunately, bad breath caused by rotting food may linger. Though removing the rotting food often helps here, the odor may absorb into the gums of the mouth and become hard to eliminate. When paired with other bad mouth problems, like a dirty tongue, this issue may increase the potency of a person’s bad breath.
Dental Decay Is Often Close Behind
Bad breath provides an early warning sign that dental decay is a real danger. For example, rotting trapped food creates a feeding ground where bacteria can focus its attack. As bacteria eats the food, the enamel on the tooth may be gradually worn away to produce small bumps or even holes. As these holes expand, more food is likely to get trapped in them.
This cycle often continually worsens until a person finds themselves with one or more cavities that need immediate treatment. Thankfully, trapped food doesn’t have to be a problem for people who are willing to take the proper steps to clean out their mouths regularly. Doing so will break apart trapped food in the teeth and prevent both bad teeth and dental decay.
Avoid Trapped Food
People concerned about trapped food need to take special care of their dental health. For example, regular flossing after every meal removes trapped food particles and keeps teeth strong and healthy. Take floss to all restaurants or when visiting friends to ensure some floss is always on hand. And drinking water, particularly washing out the mouth, helps to remove most trapped food.
Other tricks include eating hard foods, like carrots or celery, to scrub away food that may be trapped throughout the mouth. Also, try to brush the teeth regularly and use mouthwash after every meal. Don’t speed through these steps; focus heavily on areas where food gets trapped. Doing so will keep the mouth as free of trapped food as possible.
Professional Help Is Critical
If trapped food in your teeth has caused a multitude of dental problems that you can’t seem to handle on your own, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Dr. Jerry F. Maymi & Associates right away to get help. Our experts will identify why food is getting trapped in your mouth and will repair any damage that this problem causes to your dental health