14 replies to this topic

[TheFountain]

I recently had fillings done on the bottom right row of teeth, one after the other. Then I had a visit to the hygienist who said it was imperative that the next day I floss between these recently filled teeth. I tried it and got dental floss immediately stuck between these teeth. I assume it is due to the filling material not properly settling. Is there a way to remove the shreded dental floss without going out of my mind in the process?

[rwac]

What sort of floss is it ?
If it's the regular kind, then you could probably remove it with tape floss. the stuff that's flat and waxed.

[TheFountain]

What sort of floss is it ?
If it's the regular kind, then you could probably remove it with tape floss. the stuff that's flat and waxed.

It is Johnson and Johnson waxed floss. Since the stores are closed I will have to wait till the morning. Any name brand suggestions? Right now I am chewing some gum in order to dislodge some of the floss. It's somewhat working. But I need to call the dentist and complain about bad filling placement.

[rwac]

It is Johnson and Johnson waxed floss. Since the stores are closed I will have to wait till the morning. Any name brand suggestions? Right now I am chewing some gum in order to dislodge some of the floss. It's somewhat working. But I need to call the dentist and complain about bad filling placement.

Have you tried toothpicks and tweezers ?

[TheFountain]

It is Johnson and Johnson waxed floss. Since the stores are closed I will have to wait till the morning. Any name brand suggestions? Right now I am chewing some gum in order to dislodge some of the floss. It's somewhat working. But I need to call the dentist and complain about bad filling placement.

Have you tried toothpicks and tweezers ?

As soon as my mother wakes up in the morning I will ask her for a pair of tweezers. I can't believe how uncomfortable I am compared to just 2 hours ago.

[rwac]

It is Johnson and Johnson waxed floss. Since the stores are closed I will have to wait till the morning. Any name brand suggestions? Right now I am chewing some gum in order to dislodge some of the floss. It's somewhat working. But I need to call the dentist and complain about bad filling placement.

I use Crest Glide. Not sure how it compares with J&J waxed floss ...

[TheFountain]

I don't think the dentist flossed my teeth to make sure there was enough space between them. I paid out of my own pocket but it seems this place has a reputation for dealing primarily with poor medicaid recipients on welfare. I called and they are going to get back to me within the next two days to schedule an emergency appointment to dislodge the material. I think, hope, etc.

Maybe he will have enough courtesy to do what he should have done and make sure my teeth are properly spaced.

Edited by TheFountain, 14 September 2009 - 02:11 PM.

[rwac]

Another suggestion, from yahoo answers.
http://answers.yahoo...08210658AA16dgA

"Take a piece of floss and tie a single knot in it, place the floss as you normally would, and pull it through letting the knot slide under the tissue, gently removing the caught pieces."

[niner]

It's really unbelievably irritating to have something stuck between your teeth. I think that the dentist might just stick a fancy piece of sandpaper between your teeth and pull it back and forth. It's probably plastic-backed, 400-800 grit. Lunarsolarpower could tell you exactly what they'd do. Hope you get in soon, and they get it sorted out. If you have any thin plastic wedges laying around, you might be able to drive one carefully between the offending teeth and move them apart, but, uh... good luck with that. I wish I had better advice.

[Ghostrider]

Oh man, I hate cavities. I really hope I never have to have another tooth filled. Where the hell is that stem cell tooth treatment?

[lunarsolarpower]

Oh man, I hate cavities. I really hope I never have to have another tooth filled.

There are far worse fates for teeth than simply requiring a filling. It's very disappointing to see a tooth that could have been saved with a filling a year earlier require a root canal, surgical crown lengthening, a post and core buildup and a crown - all to be completed with a questionable final prognosis probably ultimately ending up in an extraction, socket preservation bone graft, and implant placement a couple more years down the road.

To separate teeth that are bonded together a dentist might use something like an ultrathin saw. In TheFountain's case where there is already a space between the teeth but there is a catch I would use a thin mylar sanding strip. If I had the piece stuck in my mouth and didn't have access to such luxuries I would probably attempt to use another piece of floss to get the first one out. If the catch on the filling is very thin it might be possible to snap it off by this method. If it is significantly more bulky then that will not be possible and the tweezers or a dental pick might be of more help.

However the office should be able to get you in for ~10 minutes to get the floss out and sand the interproximal surfaces smooth. If they're a dental mill as you've hinted you may have to go there on standby.

[TheFountain]

Thankfully I was seen 3 days ago and the overhang created by the new filling was filed down. Nothing stuck between the teeth anymore.

[jennytainer]

If you can't take it off the dental floss that was stuck in between your teeth. It could cause pain and somewhat an infection so you should go to your dentist if you can't remove it.

[VegaSinclair]

If a toothpick or further flossing doesn't remove the stuck floss, I'd visit your doctor. Usually I use tweezers to grab the end of the floss and pull it out. If you keep it in there, it could promote bacteria growth and could result in a cavity. A cavity between your teeth is difficult to fill compared to cavities that are on the outside or top of your teeth.

[dustinw]

Haha funny to see this in active topics, this exact thing happened to me last night with crest glide. When I tried to to pull the floss out sideways it shredded and frayed and left some stuck. Ended up having to use regular string type floss to get it out.