How Do You Get a Popcorn Kernel out of Your Gums?

by | Apr 2, 2018 | Uncategorized

Puffy popcorn kernels are unprocessed grains with fiber and antioxidants that have the potential to become lodged in the gums.  The texture of popped popcorn makes it awfully easy for small bits of to become lodged in the gums. Popcorn stuck in the gums can prove quite annoying if not painful.

You can try to pick out the little pieces of popcorn from between your gums with your finger yet you might not make any progress. Here is a look at the best way to remove popcorn kernels from your gums.

How to Eliminate Popcorn From the Gums:

Start With Flossing

The best approach to removing popcorn stuck in the gums or teeth is to floss it out.  Move a piece of floss between the teeth and gums, press it toward the side of the popcorn particle that is lodged in the gums and moves the floss downward and against the tooth.  In the majority of cases, flossing will dislodge the popcorn. However, some pieces of popcorn are particularly difficult to remove. If flossing does not work, try the methods detailed below.

Brushing to Remove Popcorn Kernels From the Gums

Rinse your toothbrush with warm water and brush in a downward motion in the area where the popcorn kernel is positioned.  This motion might wipe the popcorn hull right off of the gums and teeth. If this approach does not work on the first try, repeat it several times and it just might eliminate the popcorn kernel.  

Try a Water Pik

Some people have found success using water piks to flush out popcorn hulls.  Use a water pik flosser on the lowest possible setting at first. This way, you will not push the hull upwards into your gums.

What About Dental Picks and Toothpicks?

Though it is possible to use a toothpick to eliminate those pesky bits of popcorn stuck in the gums and teeth, it is not advised.  Dental picks tend to be safer and more effective than wood toothpicks that have the potential to splinter. If other options do not work, try gently rubbing a dental pick against the hull to loosen it and move it out from below the gum.  

The Last Resort: Visit With Your Dentist

If you cannot remove the popcorn kernel from your gums on your own with the approaches detailed above, the assistance of a dentist will be necessary.  Reach out to your dentist to remove the popcorn kernel from your teeth and it will not be long until your mouth is back to normal. The dentist will determine if you have a gum abscess or if there is another cause for the popcorn becoming lodged between the gums and teeth.

It is possible wood splinters, fingernail fragments stemming from nail biting and other foreign objects can cause popcorn hulls to stick to the gums.  Your dentist will attempt to figure out the root cause of the problem so you do not end up in a similar predicament in the future.

Call South Mountain Family Dental today at (602) 438-9245


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