Short answer: When food gets stuck between the same two teeth every time you eat, the most common cause is an “open contact,” a small gap where two neighboring teeth no longer touch the way they should. Trapped food and bacteria irritate the gum, so the area bleeds when you floss. A dentist can find out why the contact opened and close it, often by replacing a filling or crown.
“Doctor, I don’t understand. Every time I eat, food gets stuck between these two teeth. And when I floss it out, my gums bleed.” My patient pointed to one area in her mouth and told me she had become so used to food getting caught there that she always carried floss with her. What concerned her most was the bleeding. She wondered whether she was flossing too hard and causing the bleeding herself.
Food Stuck Between Teeth Is Often a Sign of an Open Contact
After examining the area, I explained that the problem wasn’t simply that she wasn’t flossing correctly. She had what we call an “open contact” between two teeth.
Normally, teeth that sit next to each other touch at a specific point. This contact helps keep food from being forced between the teeth when we chew.
When that contact opens up, food can easily become trapped. Dentists call this food impaction. You may have read about it in my earlier post, Even Tiny Spaces Between Our Teeth Can Cause Serious Damage.
In her case, so much food had been caught there that the gums would bleed on their own. An X-ray showed me that the stuck food had caused some bone loss and decay under a crown next to the space.
What Trapped Food Does to Your Gums and Bone
Once food begins getting caught, another problem can develop. The trapped food puts pressure on the gum tissue between the teeth. Bacteria stay behind in areas that are hard to clean. The result is inflammation of the gum. That’s where bleeding comes in.
Over time, that inflammation can lead to the kind of bone loss I saw on my patient’s X-ray. Researchers have measured this. A study of 104 adults in the Journal of Periodontology found deeper gum pockets and more attachment loss at open contacts than at the same spot on the other side of the mouth, where the teeth touch normally. A separate study linked open contacts to more bone loss around the teeth.
Why Do My Gums Bleed When I Floss?
Many patients see blood on their floss and assume they have injured their gums by flossing too aggressively. Sometimes that can happen. More often, bleeding is a sign that the gum tissue is already inflamed. Healthy gum tissue should not bleed just from being cleaned.
I explained to my patient that the floss was not necessarily causing the bleeding. It was exposing a problem that was already there.
The CDC lists red, swollen or easily bleeding gums as signs of gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, and reports that 42% of adults 30 and older have periodontitis. The American Academy of Periodontology lists bleeding during brushing, flossing or eating hard food as a warning sign. So keep flossing, as the ADA recommends, and pay attention to where the bleeding happens.
What Causes an Open Contact Between Teeth?
Open contacts can develop for several reasons:
- A filling or crown was made without enough contact with the tooth next to it.
- Teeth shift over time.
- Bone loss or gum tissue loss changes the relationship between the teeth.
- The natural shape of the teeth makes it hard to keep a tight contact.
If food is getting trapped in the same location over and over, it is worth having the area examined. We need to find out whether the problem is an open contact, decay, a defective filling or crown, tooth movement or a periodontal problem.
How Do Dentists Fix Food Getting Stuck Between Teeth?
The solution depends on the cause. Sometimes replacing a filling or crown can restore the proper contact. In other situations, periodontal treatment, orthodontic movement with clear aligners or another approach may be needed.
For my patient, the fix was the crown. I removed the decayed crown, cleaned out the decay, and made a new crown to restore proper contact and allow the area to heal.
My patient was relieved to learn she wasn’t simply doing something wrong. Her mouth was signaling that something needed attention.
When Should You See a Dentist About Food Stuck Between Your Teeth?
Call your dentist if:
- Food gets stuck in the same spot every time you eat.
- That spot bleeds every time you floss or brush it.
- The gum between the teeth is sore, swollen or tender.
- You notice a bad taste or smell from one area.
- Food started catching after a new filling or crown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for food to get stuck between your teeth?
An occasional piece of food caught between your teeth is normal. Food getting stuck in the same place at most meals is not. That pattern usually points to an open contact, decay, a worn or poorly fitting filling or crown, or teeth that have shifted.
Can food stuck between teeth cause bone loss?
Yes. Food trapped against the gum for long periods keeps the tissue inflamed, and long-term inflammation can lead to bone loss around the teeth. My patient’s X-ray showed bone loss next to the space where food had been catching.
Should I stop flossing if my gums bleed?
No. Bleeding usually means the gum is already inflamed, and the floss is showing you where. Keep cleaning gently and have the area checked. If you find string floss hard to use, read my comparison of water flossers and string floss.
How is an open contact fixed?
It depends on why the contact opened. Common fixes include replacing the filling or crown next to the gap, treating gum disease, or moving the teeth together with orthodontics.
Don’t Live With Food Stuck Between Your Teeth
So if you find yourself saying, “Food always gets stuck right here,” don’t assume that you have to live with it. And if that area bleeds every time you clean it, don’t ignore it. Sometimes a little piece of food can tell us a lot about what is happening between your teeth.
If it doesn’t follow an injury, bleeding in the mouth should never be dismissed. If this is happening to you, please contact us or call me at 440-951-7856, and let’s figure out the problem. I look forward to meeting you.
Jeffrey Gross, DDS, FAGD, is an Ohio-licensed general dentist and has been on the staff of Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine.