By: Liza Alicea BA, RDH
While feasting at a shindig one of the holiday canapés gets stuck between your teeth and you forgot to pack floss…what do you do?
The Easy Solution
In a perfect world, you head for the hors d’oeuvres that are deliciously skewered on a toothpick. Voila! You can use the pick to dislodge the tidbits left behind. Now you are ready to go back for more munchies. Problem solved.
In the real world, by the time you get to this party you’re starving. You go straight to the platters of spinach-walnut pesto pasta. Unfortunately those food choices often wrap themselves around your incisors. Now with green leaves occupying your front teeth, you’re keeping your mouth closed tight. You have to act fast, if you ever want to talk, laugh and smile again.
When There’s No Floss (Or Toothpicks) To Save The Day
These 3 simple solutions can help clean up your act in less than a New York minute:
Water
Drinking water after eating helps to push food away from the tooth surface. It aids digestion by emptying the contents of your teeth right on to the tongue. It also cleanses the palate, getting you ready for your next entree.
Crunchy Vegetables
Food that gets stuck in your teeth is often soft and sticky. The best way to counterpoise that texture is by chewing on something crisp and crunchy, like raw vegetables. The impact of the veggies against your molars will drag anything that’s not securely holding on, off the tooth and down the chute.
Soda Straws
Straws can be controversial. As dental professionals, we don’t advocate drinking sugary soda. It really and truly increases your chances of developing tooth decay. But if you must indulge in the occasional bubbly beverage, then use a straw. You can also use the straw as a inter-proximal aid to clean the debris between your teeth.
Don’t use anything sharp or pointed, such as paper clips, ball point pens or any metal objects!
Now, show off that smile you’ve worked so hard on maintaining through the year. We’ll see you in 2020!
Liza Alicea is one of Gallery57Dental’s awesome hygienists, who help keep your pearly whites shiny and healthy all-year- long.
Call 212.246.8700 to find out more information or click here to schedule an appointment with Gallery57Dental. Follow Gallery 57 Dental on Facebook here!
