3 Things You Should Do If Your Filling Falls Out

A dental filling is a type of dental restoration used to repair a decayed tooth. A dental filling is one of the most common dental procedures, and you should be able to have a natural-looking smile after having it. If your dental filling falls out, here is what you should do.

Take Precautions

A filling falling out is nothing to panic over. However, you do need to take certain precautions until you can get to a dentist’s office. Here are some helpful steps you should follow:

• Stay calm. It’s easy to become flustered or panicked when a problem like this occurs with your dental health. Remain calm and collected, and do your best to stay calm until you can visit the dentist for a proper assessment.
• Clean the area carefully. You don’t want anything to get stuck in the open hole that the filling left behind, so brush around the area very carefully using a soft-bristled toothbrush and avoid using any sharp objects in the area.
• Visit the dentist right away. The sooner you can get into the dentist’s office to have this taken care of, the better. Doing so can prevent further problems from developing with a tooth that has a gap in it.

Schedule an Appointment

If your filling falls out, make an appointment as soon as possible to get it repaired before the issue gets worse. We might be able to repair the filling on the same day it fell out. If not, we’ll need to replace the restoration with a crown or bridge. The sooner we address the problem, the better!

Scheduling an appointment will also allow us to check your teeth for any other issues that might be causing discomfort, such as a cracked tooth. If we can’t find the reason why you’re experiencing pain, we will refer you to an oral surgeon for a root canal. While this isn’t something we want to happen to you, it’s better to know than jump to conclusions and undergo unnecessary dental treatments.

Eat Wisely

You want to avoid eating foods that are sticky or chewy because they could remove more of your filling than necessary. Instead, try to stick to soft foods like mashed potatoes, applesauce, pudding, smoothies, soups, and oatmeal. Avoid chewing on hard candies like peppermints, jawbreakers, and gummies since they can further damage your tooth.

Also, keep in mind that you should avoid acidic food and drinks like sodas, wine, tomato sauce, and citrus fruits because they’ll increase sensitivity in your mouth and could soften your fillings even further.

Remember to brush your teeth carefully, so you don’t chip more parts off. If you experience any pain or discomfort, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth until the pain is gone.