Do you smell a bad odor when flossing one tooth coming from your mouth?
I think we can all agree that bad breath is an embarraing trait to have to deal with. Especially in the presence of strangers.
All other problems inside your mouth are practically invisible, save of course for stains and fractured or lost teeth. But a bad breath is like an alarm which everybody notices.
A bad smell coming from your mouth could be a result of many things. Some people complain of smelling a bad smell when flossing and some encounter that bad odor when flossing one tooth in particular.
So let us explain why this happens.
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For starters, let us highlight the importance of flossing.
Flossing is indispensable, as it is the only act that can clean the shielded areas from between your teeth, where your toothbrush can’t reach.
It is in these areas that most problems of the mouth start, such as gum inflammation, tooth decay, and of course bad breath.
Why Do I Smell A Bad Odor When Flossing One Tooth?
If you get a bad smell when flossing one tooth, it is usually a direct result of the bacteria fermenting the food remnants between and around your teeth.
This releases toxins and acids that cause that foul smell.
So simply, the reason for you smelling a bad odor is because that particular area was not cleaned well.
This could be because you simply forgot to floss for a few days so the food particles and plaque got stuck there. Or there is an underlying reason why you can’t floss that area properly, such as:
Cavity
Of course, it is common sense to think that if you have a cavity in or between your teeth, that the food will get trapped there. Because it is very difficult to clean with the traditional methods.
For that, you need to visit your dentist as soon as possible.
Not only to clean the food remnants causing the smell but also to prevent the decay from causing further harm to your tooth, which you could need a root canal or even extraction of the tooth if you don’t get it fixed soon.
Faulty Filling
It same sense as with cavities. When you have an old broken down filling, there are tiny spaces between the filling and the tooth which may not be visible by the naked eye.
These tiny spaces are like caves for plaque and bacteria where they can work their evil magic undisturbed.
The result is not only a bad smell coming from this area, but eventually, it will lead to breakage of the filling and decay of the tooth itself.
Open Contact
Contact points (or areas) are the small points where our teeth touch each other ever so lightly.
They are the reason why the floss string “pops” between the teeth rather than slides in and out freely, and they are a blessing for many reasons.
The first of which is to keep our teeth from drifting apart, disturbing the chewing process, and giving need for braces.
The second is to of course limit food impaction and debris build-up between the teeth which are very difficult to clean.
If these contacts are not there, either because of a fault filling, breakage of a part of the tooth, or simply because you were born with spaces between your teeth. Then you would expect the food to get trapped there easily which causes the bad smell.
Localized Gum Inflammation Or Infection
What most people don’t realize is that gum inflammation or infection does not have to affect the whole mouth.
You can simply get gum inflammation in one particular area and in that case, the smell comes from one place and one place only.
Of course, this happens most times because of an underlying cause like a bad filling or an open contact.
But in some cases, it happens for no reason at all.
All the same, this place needs to be treated for gum inflammation the same way as you would treat a generalized inflammation.
So the next question is then, how to eliminate odor in gums?
How To Get Rid Of The Smell When Flossing
Like all other problems of the mouth, the solution lies with the removal of the cause of the problem.
If you have a cavity or a faulty filling, head to your dentist to fix them.
If you have spaces between your teeth, you have to know the reason and get that fixed. Even if there is no problem and you were born with spaces, you should seriously consider braces to close them.
And finally, if you have gum inflammation, all you have to do is take more care of brushing and flossing. It’s also a good idea to use a mouthwash for a few weeks and you should be all set.
Change Your Flossing Method
One more solution that comes to mind is to change the method of flossing your teeth, which is clearly ineffective if you have bad breath odor.
While traditional string floss can be of great use, it needs a lot of experience and patience to learn how to properly use it without damaging your teeth and gums.
There are easier and more efficient methods out there, such as interdental brushes or floss picks. However, there certainly isn’t any better method in today’s world than using Water Flossers (aka Waterpik).
Why Water Piks Are So Effective
Waterpiks are the solution to everything. They can effectively clean between the teeth, even if heavily restored, and even if you have a cavity or a faulty filling. Of course, this does not mean that you can put off the visit to your dentist.
It can also clean between and around braces with extreme efficiency and is significantly gentler on the gums and teeth causing virtually no harm at all. Water flossers may be the ultimate solution to all your problems regarding oral health.
Odor When Flossing One Tooth Final Words
That being said, if you still complain of a bad odor when flossing one tooth, search for the root cause of the problem with the help of your dentist. But until you do, you could definitely benefit from a water flosser in your life.
