DENTAL CARE

Jeffrey Gross, DDS, FAGD

Q:I Just Started to Get Food Caught Between My Teeth!

A:I hear this many times during the week. I hear it from patients and I hear reports from our talented hygienists when they give me a report on the status of a patient. In fact, I just heard it this morning as I met a patient on the street and he complained of this also. Catching food in between teeth is a result of spaces. So before we talk about whether or not catching food is a concern, let’s discuss spacing in between teeth. In an ideal world, every tooth in your mouth should be lined up like little soldiers in a row. Each one next to its neighbor with no overlapping or crowding. They should touch each other in a firm way. Not too much pressure and not too little pressure. The reason that this arrangement is ideal is because it acts as a self protection mechanism. Let me explain. The main purpose of our teeth, aside from flashing a dazzling smile, is to chew and properly break up food for digestion. The digestive process begins in the mouth with tearing, grinding and chemical breakdown via our saliva. We know that not all foods are cooperative and simply go down our esophagus. Some foods stick to our teeth and cause problems to our little friends. When the teeth are all aligned and touching each other they create a path for the food to actually slide off into our cheeks and not stay on our teeth. This helps to break down the food further as it can be brought back around and chewed a second or third time. All of this makes the food easier to swallow and reduces the work that your stomach has to do.

Now, let’s return to our spaces issue. In a not so perfect world, we can develop spaces between our teeth. Some times we lose a tooth and have a big space. Some times we have a cavity and develop a small space. Last, but not least, our teeth may drift or move a little and we have a tiny space. Okay, so what does all that mean. If we lose a tooth and have a large space, we all know that we have fill the space and replace the tooth. If not, nasty things can happen to the teeth around the space and even in other areas of the mouth. We have discussed this before and that is not the point of this week’s column. Our second “space” example is when we develop decay in between teeth. These spaces will become painful as the cavity progresses and can really destroy a tooth. This pain will drive us to get the cavity remedied before it goes too far. Typically a filling will take care of this issue.

The most dangerous spaces are those that occur as teeth shift and drift. These tiny spaces become a place for food impaction. Food gets stuck in between these little spaces and sit against the tooth and gum for long periods of time. The food attracts bacteria. These bacteria then feed off the food and produce acid. This acid is what causes a tooth to decay. Many times this decay, or cavity as it is often referred to, will progress unbeknown to anyone. It shows up under the gum and moves into the tooth. All of sudden we have toothache and are looking at a root canal or tooth removal. Not only do spaces prevent our mouth from working at optimum efficiency in the digestive department, but the spaces are a cause for a lot of dental work and painful patient complaints. So when teeth touch, they are really protecting themselves as food does not get stuck on them. Teeth touching each other is really a self preservation tool for the teeth.

Some patients believe that they can keep these tiny spaces clean. This is very difficult to do and a challenge, even for the most meticulous patient. We usually can not see the food particles that are caught between our teeth as they are wedged very low on the tooth near the gum. To see this in one’s own mouth is nearly impossible. This is why spaces must be closed. There are a variety of ways to do this and each situation is different. So the next time you are aware of these spaces or the dentist asks you if you ever notice food packing in a certain place, your radar should go off and inquire as to how to remedy the issue. If you notice one of these areas that was not a problem before, give me a call and I will do my best to suggest a remedy for you. I can be reached at 440.951.7856 and I look forward to talking to you about this or any other dental concern that you may have.