15 Dental Nightmare Stories That Will Make You Floss Immediately
For dental professionals, the true horror comes from what’s hiding behind a patient’s smile—literally. Rotting roots, forgotten meals, uninvited critters… It’s a whole haunted house in there. These real-life dental stories range from the funny to the foul, and each one might convince you to start flossing like your gums depend on it. Because, well, they kind of do.
Random Hair and a Sprouting Surprise
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Dental hygienists see all kinds of things stuck in gums, but one Illinois pro reported a recurring offender: long, curly hairs. No clue how they got there, but tweezers became essential. What’s even weirder was a sprouted seed that once emerged from beneath a patient’s gumline.
The Case of the Broccoli Time Capsule
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Green stuff in teeth is not unusual, but one patient had no idea where it came from—until they remembered they’d eaten broccoli five days earlier. That chunky reminder stayed tucked behind a molar for nearly a week!
Crown Comes Off, Worm Crawls Out
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A patient complained about a loose crown. No big deal, the dentist thought, until they popped it off and found a worm wriggling underneath. It was alive. After cleaning the area and resecuring the crown, the dentist sent the man to his doctor.
Wisdom Teeth Meet Skin Infection
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A New Jersey periodontist once treated a wisdom tooth infection that grew so severe that it began draining through the patient’s cheek. It turned out to be an abscess pushing through the skin. An immediate hospital referral, emergency extraction, and a drain followed.
Superglue Dentistry Ends Poorly
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There’s a reason DIY and dentistry shouldn’t mix. One patient lost a front tooth and had an idea—cut off the root, stick it to a piece of metal, and superglue it back into place. Unfortunately, superglue is acidic and damages neighboring teeth.
A Retainer From the Swamp
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Teenagers forget a lot of things. This one forgot to remove their retainer for weeks. By the time they returned to the dentist, the plastic device was covered in slime, rotting food, and something resembling algae. The smell was described as “unforgettable.”
The Maggot-Filled Dentures
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An Ohio dentist once opened a patient’s dentures and found them crawling with maggots. The insects were alive and thriving between fake gums. The dentist had to excuse themselves and vomit.
Tartar Holding It All Together
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Imagine skipping floss for so long that hardened plaque—not gums—becomes the thing keeping your teeth in place. That actually happened. One patient’s tartar was so thick that their tooth popped out as soon as the buildup was removed.
A Spritz of Decay
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A patient who rarely flossed finally did—courtesy of a hygienist. As the floss ran between teeth, the patient stopped and asked what the awful smell was. The hygienist showed him the blackened bits on the floss. It was the decaying food jammed in his teeth.
Bedbugs in the Gums
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Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds. One dental worker discovered bedbugs embedded in a patient’s gum tissue. No clear explanation was given, but the bugs had burrowed and died inside the mouth.
Cancer You Can Smell
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One hygienist described detecting a strange smell during a routine exam. It turned out to be undiagnosed oral cancer, later confirmed by a specialist. The story ended in treatment and temporary recovery. Sometimes, the mouth sends subtle messages.
Moldy Sandwich Wrapper, Still in Use
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A patient complained about a toothache, and upon examination, the dentist spotted something shiny lodged between molars. It was a piece of aluminum foil. The man recalled eating a sandwich wrapped in foil weeks ago. The foil had remained stuck ever since.
Sharpened Teeth and a Sudden Attack
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During a routine cleaning, a hygienist was nearly bitten by a patient with sharpened incisors. The man had intentionally filed them into points. For the record, vampire teeth don’t make checkups easier.
All Roots, No Teeth
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One patient had no visible teeth, but below the gums, dozens of rotted roots remained. Over time, the gums had grown over them entirely and sealed off what was left. A surgical extraction followed. Teeth don’t just disappear—they sometimes rot quietly beneath the surface.
A Six-Year-Old’s Soda Diet
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A child, barely in kindergarten, came in with nearly every baby tooth rotted through. His diet consisted of soda, milk, candy, and junk food. The only silver lining was that they were baby teeth. Still, the dentist reported the case for child neglect.