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Imagine you’re sitting down to your favorite movie with a big bowl of popcorn when suddenly, pain strikes. You may have gotten a popcorn kernel lodged between your teeth or even stuck in your gums. Now you’ll probably spend the rest of the movie trying to discreetly remove the popcorn from your teeth unless you try one of these strategies.
There are a couple of ways you could try to use to dislodge any popcorn from your teeth. Some of these include flossing, brushing, using a Waterpik or a toothpick, rinsing with saltwater, and even visiting your dentist. These are the best options when it comes to removing popcorn from your teeth.
There are many different strategies to try when it comes to removing unwanted objects from your teeth and gums. By understanding each of your options and how they work, you can avoid spending an entire 2 hours trying unsuccessfully to get something out of your teeth.
7 Best Ways to Get Popcorn Out of Your Teeth?
1. Use Your Tongue to Get the Popcorn Out
One of the first things you could try, and that most people will automatically do, is to try and use your tongue to get the popcorn kernel out of your teeth. Your tongue has a pretty good sense of touch and can help figure out where the unwanted kernel is located. Some pieces of popcorn will be so stuck though that your tongue won’t be able to remove it and you’ll need to try another method.
2. Use Floss to Get the Popcorn Out
You can use a combination of rinsing water and flossing. Flossing is probably the best approach when it comes to removing popcorn that’s stuck in your teeth or gums. You should do this by moving the piece of floss between your teeth and gums in the area where the popcorn kernel is lodged.
Then, you should move the floss against the tooth and down to dislodge the popcorn. You shouldn’t be too aggressive while you’re flossing, as this can lead to gum damage and you can even push the popcorn kernel deeper into the gums.
You should use gentle motions by positioning the floss between the teeth in the spot where the popcorn kernel is stuck. You should go around the kernel on both sides and gently floss back and forth, and up and down until the kernel is removed.
You should make sure to reach all the way up into your gum line to dislodge any foreign objects completely. After you’re done, you’ll want to rinse your mouth out with water to be sure you’ve completely removed all small pieces from your teeth.
In most cases, flossing should do the job and should remove any objects from your teeth. If it doesn’t work, just try another option below.
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3. Use Your Toothbrush to Get the Popcorn Out
Another good way to get the popcorn out of your teeth is to brush them. You should hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and place it near the gum line. You should then use gentle brushing motions as you brush downwards, starting at the base of your gums (in the upper teeth) and brushing upwards (in the lower teeth).
The point of this strategy is to use the bristles to help dislodge the popcorn from your teeth. You’ll want the toothbrush bristles to make contact along the gum line.
You can also use circular motions as you’re brushing your teeth to help pull the kernel out of the gum line or wherever it has lodged itself.
4. Try a Waterpik to Get the Popcorn Out
Some people have used a Waterpik and found success in this. You can use a Waterpik flosser to help flush out the popcorn kernels. It’s recommended that you try it at the lowest pressure setting so you don’t drive the kernel further up into your gums.
5. Use Dental Picks or Toothpicks to Get the Popcorn Out
Another option is to use dental picks or toothpicks to help remove those annoying pieces of popcorn. This isn’t the best option, but it could work. It is advised to use dental picks rather than toothpicks though, because the toothpicks could potentially splinter, causing more problems.
You can still use a toothpick to try and pick out the popcorn piece, but you should be careful and be gentle, so as not to cause any further irritation or problems.
6. Use Salt Water to Get the Popcorn Out
You can use warm salt water to swish and rinse out your mouth and try to move the kernel and remove it from your teeth or gums. Rinsing warm salt water can help to remove or at least loosen stuck kernels in your teeth.
You should use about a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Then, you should only swish the water in your mouth for about 15 to 30 seconds before spitting it out. You should repeat this a few times per day, but do not overdo it. Rinsing too much or too often with salt water can actually damage your enamel.
In addition to removing the popcorn pieces, warm salt water can also help to temporarily relieve any gum irritation.
7. Last Resort: Visit With Your Dentist
As a last resort, you can always go in and visit your dentist to try and get the kernel removed from your teeth or gums. If the above strategies have all failed in removing the kernel, this is the next step to take.
They have tools and will be able to remove things from your teeth that you may be unable to remove yourself. They can also check for any damages that may have come from the popcorn or anything else being stuck in your teeth.
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What Happens When I Get Popcorn Stuck in my Teeth?
You can get popcorn kernels stuck in your teeth and gums any time you eat popcorn. It just happens when you bite popcorn from exactly the wrong angle.
Even when you make an effort to chew gently, there’s not a lot that anyone can do to prevent this from happening. Popcorn kernel pieces can even be pushed into your gums or between teeth when you swallow and chew normally.
Unfortunately, once the kernel pieces get stuck, they really don’t want to come out. But if you get it stuck, should you just give up and leave it there? No! Unfortunately, there is more at risk than just annoyance and discomfort.
If you leave any small object stuck in your teeth or gums, this could lead to other problems, such as gingivitis. Leaving any object in your teeth can encourage bacteria growth.
If it’s a sugary type of popcorn, such as chocolate or caramel, that will only make things worse because the sugar exposure isn’t good for your teeth.
When you get things stuck in your teeth, you really should get them out and not just give up and leave them in there. Not only will you have a better-looking smile, but you won’t be in pain anymore and you won’t have to risk developing inflammation or gingivitis.
Does Gum Work To Get Popcorn Out of Your Teeth?
There is a supposed myth that by chewing gum, you can help to dislodge any stuck popcorn from your teeth or gums. It is, in theory, possible for this to work by chewing gum or any food for that matter.
This, however, could actually push the kernel fragment even deeper into your teeth or gums. As a result, this makes it even more difficult to remove.
Gum is usually not the best way to get the popcorn out of your teeth. There are, however, 7 good ways you could try to remove kernels from your teeth and gums.
