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I've got shredded floss stuck between my teeth

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Socreges

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Yeah.

Might have to go to the dentist on Monday to have it removed, but until then I'm doing everything I can to get it out myself. Google produced a few suggestions. None of which have worked.

The space is extremely tight and always difficult to floss. I must have a cavity which has caused the floss to get caught and shredded. I just bought some 'Glide' floss which doesn't shred and is supposed to be good for crowded teeth (and thus removing the shredded floss) but the shredded floss is blocking the space. As hard as I pull down to get the glide floss through, it won't go. Too tight. I've also tried picking at it with an interdental brush but it's jammed in there pretty good. Tried two floss at once, as well. No dice.

The pressure on my tooth from the floss being stuck is pretty annoying, but I can probably suffer it till Monday. Just more hoping to avoid the emergency dentist bill...

Any other ideas?
 
hmm.. have any firm thin plastic? Like the edges of...something. I use those as impromptu toothpicks... maybe you can wedge something else in there and get it out? Even the ends of a string cheese packaging could be used. Think stuff like that..
 
Socreges said:
As hard as I pull down to get the glide floss through, it won't go. Too tight. I've also tried picking at it with an interdental brush but it's jammed in there pretty good. Tried two floss at once, as well. No dice.
Click to expand...

Wow, you weren't kidding about the space being narrow - you can't even force a single thread of floss in there?

Has your dentist ever suggested having some teeth removed?
 
Dragoon En Regalia said:
IDK, maybe a Waterpik might exert enough pressure to force the shreds out of the cavity. If it's jammed that far in, though, then tough luck.
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Waterpik looks expensive...

And I don't think it's that it's far in. More that it's firmly wedged in a tight space.

commedieu said:
hmm.. have any firm thin plastic? Like the edges of...something. I use those as impromptu toothpicks... maybe you can wedge something else in there and get it out? Even the ends of a string cheese packaging could be used. Think stuff like that..
Click to expand...
I'll try this. Sounds like if it worked it would cut up my gums pretty good though

Alcotholic said:
hmm...
toothpick?
Click to expand...
Tried that.

benjipwns said:
Feed it pizza.

Is that how we're supposed to do this?
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I've fed it a panini and some cereal. No luck.

ItAintEasyBeinCheesy said:
Did it do a bulk up before it got shredded?

If so you're in trouble bro. That floss is just gonna get more swoll and rip your teeth up.
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Bulk up?

It got shredded when I tried to lift the floss back up and out. My own stupidity. I got a bit panicky and kept pulling back and forth to remove it instead of pulling sideways.
 
PaulloDEC said:
Wow, you weren't kidding about the space being narrow - you can't even force a single thread of floss in there?

Has your dentist ever suggested having some teeth removed?
Click to expand...
Only because the space that is normally there is now filled with a little bit of shredded floss.
 
I had something similar happen once. Glide floss isn't going to do it, you need the kind that's a little more rough to cause friction and move the other piece out, like the cheap brands. If you use glide floss, you're just going to end up forcing it through and hitting your gum. Also, keep water in your mouth to try and soften it up or something to make it easier to remove. I doubt you have a cavity either. I have a few teeth like that which tear floss, so I have to be quick and not reuse the same part.
 
A little more rough? Can you be more specific?

I'll keep drinking water. I wish there was a way to just dissolve it.... without also poisoning myself.
 
Usually the cheaper brands (or store brands) are not waxed as much, and are closer to thin pieces of string so they're more rough. That's why this also happened to me since they tear easier. I use j&j floss now though
 
Can't you get one of those small rubber'y tooth cleaning sticks. They come in various sizes. I dunno what they're called ):. They're pretty much a combination of toothpicks and floss.
 
I use expensive Oral B stuff for this very reason. (satin weave or something, it's a ribbon, as opposed to string)

Try using that kind to remove the peasant brand you got stuck in there.

Edit: never mind, you did that. Welp, pliars and whiskey is your only hope now.
 
I hate that feeling when something is stuck between teeth. Would drive me mad haha

railGUN said:
I use expensive Oral B stuff for this very reason. (satin weave or something, it's a ribbon, as opposed to string)

Try using that kind to remove the peasant brand you got stuck in there.
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That's exactly why you shouldn't use those. The way it shreds is what helps to remove stuff. The glide stuff doesn't get everything out. This is according to my dentist
 
Go buy different floss. Get the tape kind that breaks instead of shreds.

And here is a tip . . . Plumber's teflon tape works great when you are in a pinch.
 
840r-2.jpg


See if you can get one of these babies underneath it?
 
So it's, uh, gone. I went to bed Saturday night, woke up on Sunday with the pressure mysteriously gone. I had a busy day coming so I just assumed it was a reprieve from the pain with the floss still in there and went on with things. Fast forward to Sunday night and I decide to try flossing it out again.....

The Glide floss went further down but still hit a wall. Nothing doing. So thanks to a few recommendations in here I tried out the 'shreddable' floss, despite my fear that it would bunch up as well, and despite it not working the night before, and fuck me it went clean through to the gum. A little bit of shredded floss came out with it, less than what I'm sure had been there 24 hours later, but I was in the clear!

Lesson learned.

Thanks for the help, everybody. Was a fairly shitty ordeal and I'm really glad a trip to the dentist wasn't necessary.
 
Tried Googling a solution to this. One of the first results was GAF. Go figure.

Ran out of my normal dental wax floss, so I used some crappy butter weave floss I had lying around. Big mistake. Same as OP, it was torn and now I can't get it out :(

Tried toothpicks, tried dental picks, tried more floss, tried bits of plastic, tried multiple sharp things, tried eating, etc. No luck.

Going to buy more wax dental floss in the morning and just hope there's room between my teeth still.
 
GavinGT said:
Try a piece of sewing thread. Probably thinner than floss but still durable.
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Thank you, but I think I'm good now. Frankly the floss has been stuck for so long that I'd say my teeth and gums have grown to depend on its presence. Should your sewing thread finally be the long sought-after solution, I'd fear that removing the floss would do more harm than good. It is a part of me now and shall remain that way.
 
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