Over the weekend, many of music’s best and brightest showed up to flaunt their stuff at the iHeart Music Awards, hosted in Inglewood, CA. Perry thought she was ready to flaunt her style. She had new coiffure, short blond hair in place of her luscious jet black locks. She was decidedly on-trend with her gold and white August Getty Atelier jumpsuit. Jumpsuits were definitely the garment of choice among the style leaders.
And the final touch was her Nike swoop tooth jewelry. She smiled big to show it off along with her bright white teeth, and only later realized that she had quinoa in her teeth. Annoyed, the California Gurl later tweeted that she was looking for “real friends” who would tell her that she had the food in her teeth.
How Do You Tell Someone?
It’s actually very difficult to tell someone that they have food in their teeth. First, you have to notice it yourself. And if you’re not taking the time to look at a picture, it can be hard to see something as small as a seed caught between someone’s teeth.
Maybe nothing was there the last time anyone looked. The tiny seed might have been down on the gums, under the tongue, or some other place out of sight, then shifted to the teeth Perry mingled with the crowd before heading onto the red carpet.
And once you see the food on someone’s teeth, you want to tell them discreetly without calling too much attention to it. That would defeat the purpose. And you have to feel comfortable telling someone about this potentially embarrassing fact.
Several years ago, Colgate introduced an app, allowing people to notify one another anonymously about food in their teeth. We’re not sure if that app is still supported, but that would be an option for some people–too late to help Perry now.
How to Avoid Food Stuck in Your Teeth
On the other hand, it’s also good to address potential reasons why you’re getting food stuck in your teeth. Although it’s normal for this to happen, there are some things you can do to minimize how often it occurs.
First, clean your teeth after every meal. Finish your meal with a drink of water and swish it around. You can also chew sugar free gum after your meal. It works like a clay bar when detailing your car: picking up little bits of debris that washing missed. Brushing is a reasonable choice, too, but if you do brush after every meal, skip the toothpaste. Toothpaste contains abrasives that can wear down your teeth and restorations if you’re brushing too often. A soft-bristled brush, though, is safe for your teeth and gums if you don’t brush too aggressively.
Floss every night. The more you keep the space between teeth clean, the less likelihood something will emerge to cause you embarrassment.
And, of course, check your teeth. Your friends may not see food in your teeth, and why put that responsibility on them. If you don’t have a mirror handy, you can use the selfie setting on your phone to see your teeth. You can even take a picture to make sure!
If you find that you frequently get food stuck in your teeth, especially if it’s painful, you should talk to your dentist about it. It could be a sign of gum disease, which can loosen your teeth, making it easier for food to slip in. Or perhaps it’s caused by teeth that are crooked, gapped, or crowded. Orthodontics can help address some of these problems. Not only will you have a more beautiful smile, but you can avoid the embarrassment of food in your teeth. And you can avoid tooth decay, gum disease, and other consequences of the food stuck in teeth.
If you are looking for a dentist in Orange County to help you avoid this problem, please call (949) 551-5902 today for an appointment at Rice Dentistry in Irvine.
