Listen to Your Dentist When They Recommend Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Thanks to movies, popcorn is one of the most popular snacks in the United States. While tasty and healthy, you've probably experienced the discomfort of having a popcorn kernel get stuck between your teeth - or worse yet, under your gumline. Although you may have resorted to using floss to get those kernels out, developing a habit of flossing could help you to avoid this problem from the beginning. Read on to learn how maintaining your oral hygiene through flossing can help prevent popcorn kernels from causing problems for you.

Why It Can Cause Problems

Popcorn kernels can cause problems for you in two key ways: getting stuck between your teeth, and getting stuck under your gums. Both of these are a problem, and the difficulty of amending the problem can be steep.

If a popcorn kernel is stuck between your teeth, it not only creates an unsightly appearance when you smile, but it can cause your teeth to decay and your gums to become inflamed. The kernel will allow bacteria to sit between your teeth and above your gums, potentially increasing the speed of growth and increasing your risk of experiencing tooth decay or gum inflammation.

If the kernel gets stuck under your gumline, it's even worse. Popcorn kernels don't break down over time in the mouth, so unless you or a dentist get that kernel out, it's going to stay there. Nothing should ever be under your gumline except your teeth, so the more sensitive parts of your tooth like the root, as well as your gums, could potentially become infected due to an impacted popcorn kernel.

How Flossing Helps

Popcorn kernels cause their problems if your oral health isn't in tip-top shape. Thankfully, flossing regularly can fix these problems.

Popcorn kernels are more likely to get stuck between your teeth if you have an excess of plaque and tartar build-up between your teeth. Plaque is sticky, which helps popcorn kernels to stick when they get between your teeth, rather than sliding right out. Tartar forms a hard wall on the sides of your teeth, so if a kernel does get wedged between your teeth, it has less room to get out again. Flossing regularly can remove plaque and prevent tartar, so it can help you to stop this problem.

Secondly, popcorn kernels can only get under your gumline if your gums are unhealthy. Your gums are supposed to form a tight seal on your teeth, keeping bacteria and debris like kernels from getting in. Flossing regularly can reverse gum disease and improve the tightness of your gums, which will stop this from happening.

Your experience with popcorn shouldn't be brought down by feeling kernels stuck between your teeth and under your gums. Follow these tips to improve your oral health and to avoid experiencing these problems ever again.