You will need to get a filling if one of your teeth has a cavity. In this post, our Amherstburg dentists explain what you should and shouldn't do after you get a filling.
Do be careful when you are eating after a dental filling.
Depending on the type of filling you have gotten, you might want to be cautious about what you eat immediately following the filling procedure. Because composite white fillings harden instantly under the blue light your dentist uses, you can eat and drink immediately following the procedure.
After a filling look for foods that require minimal chewing such as soup, scrambled eggs, and crackers.
However, if there is pain or/and swelling, wait until it decreases before eating.
Metal dental fillings take a bit of time to harden, so most dentists will recommend waiting at least 24 hours after getting the dental filling to eat any solid foods.
To avoid biting your lips, cheek, or tongue, you will likely want to wait until the local anesthetic wears off before attempting to eat. Ask your dentist for advice about how long you should wait after a filling before eating.
Don't eat chewy, hard, or sticky foods for up to two weeks.
You may want to refrain from hot or cold drinks and foods for a few days following a dental filling. Sticky, hard, or chewy foods are also a no-no - for up to two weeks. Anything that will require you to take hard bites and chew a lot - such as meat - is probably out.
You’ll also want to avoid highly acidic foods to prevent infection.
Do take over-the-counter painkillers if you feel pain, tooth sensitivity, or discomfort after a filling.
You may notice some mild to moderate discomfort and pain following the filling. The majority of the time, you should notice that the pain and swelling start going away within 12 hours and you can eat whatever you want without experiencing tooth sensitivity, or irritation around the area.
Take over-the-counter painkillers with ibuprofen or acetaminophen to alleviate any physical pain or discomfort after a dental filling.
In the event, that pain, sensitivity, or discomfort does not disappear after 24 hours, contact your dentist to schedule an appointment to check on your filling, to ensure that infection is not developing.
Don't hesitate to floss or brush your teeth after you get a filling.
Did you know that you don’t have to wait to brush your teeth or floss after a dental filling? As long as you brush gently and floss carefully around the tooth, you should be able to keep the area clean as usual.
Do call your dentist if you have a persistent toothache.
Though it's true that you may feel some mild pain or discomfort, a persistent sharp or throbbing toothache can indicate that the decay has reached your tooth's pulp. You may need a root canal. Contact your dentist, who can address it for you promptly.