Bad Smell in Between Tooth, and Light Pain when I Get Food Stuck?

Hello, and thanks for your question.  If food continues to get caught in the areas between your teeth, that is definitely a possible culprit for what you've been experiencing.  When food gets caught and is not removed, the bacteria causes odor, as well as tenderness of the gums.  It's possible that the areas between your teeth are "too loose", and checking with your dentist will help determine the next course of action and possibly "tightening" those areas so that food doesn't get caught anymore.  Thanks for your question!

Hi Leah,
Definitely have your doctor check the contacts adjacent to the recently delivered crown. If the contacts are not snug enough, then food can travel past the contact area and be trapped in your gingiva and rot. Rotting or decaying food attracts bacterial overgrowth and can lead to inflammation of the gums known as gingivitis and in severe instances causes a gum infection leading to gum disease and bone loss around your tooth. The smell is simply a byproduct of the festering decaying food and any purulent discharge that may be presents as the area becomes inflamed. You may also have your doctor check the gums for any deep pockets or food traps due to gum detachment from the underlying bone. Good luck!

Whenever a crown is placed, it should be in contact with the teeth adjacent to it so that when you go to floss between the teeth, you feel the floss "snap" down in between the teeth. We call this "good contact." If you floss between the teeth and there is no snap, so the teeth are not touching, we call this "loose" or "open contact" which is not good. Open contacts can lead to odor since food can get more easily lodged between the teeth and bacteria can start to accumulate. If you have an open contact after a crown is placed, it needs to be redone to correct this. Hope this helps!