A Helpful Tip

On Saturday, I went to the movies and, as usual, got a a piece of popcorn stuck in my teeth.  Actually it was stuck in my gums, between my teeth, like a sliver.  For the last five days I have flossed and brushed and flossed and brushed to no avail.  Over the last day or so, it’s caused me some pain and I could tell that my gums were irritated (as was I). 

I decided to call the dentist in the morning to make an appointment to have them take care of it with all their expensive fancy tools.  As a last ditch effort I did a search on Bing to see if there was anything else I could try that would save me a trip to the dentist. 

The first site I visited was a forum and a solution was requested for my exact problem. (You gotta love that internet!)  The first couple responses recommended to use floss, a toothbrush, or a toothpick; all which I had tried.  A bit further down there was a reply by a practicing dentist.  This is what it said…

All the previous answers are bunk! Try this...take a piece of floss about 6 inches long. Then, tie a knot in the floss near the mid-way spot on the floss. Next, pop the floss between the teeth. Now, pull the knot back and forth between the teeth where the kernel is stuck. Whalla! It will hurt a little and probably even bleed, but the corn kernel will come out.

I tell you what…that was one of the very best tips I have every read.  It worked!  Just a little pain and then a sigh of relief when the pestering kernel was removed by the knot in the floss.  This 30 second search saved me from a night of swollen gums and the cost of a visit to the dentist.  Definitely a tip worth remembering!