A dental filling procedure is most commonly used to fix some minor fractures and improve the biting and chewing process. Its function is to restore the damaged tooth with some materials like porcelain, plastic, in some cases gold, and metals called composite resin fillings. This is a very simple dental procedure, but sometimes there is a chance of falling out your tooth filling. “It is not happening often, and there is nothing to worry about,” says dentist Harrisburg NC. But, what if it happens to you?
The first rule in that situation is not to panic. Try to take a few deep breaths and follow these steps:
What to Do if Your Tooth Filling Falls Out?
You need to know what is actually happening when your tooth filling falls out. It would be best for you to act quickly. Your dental filling represents a protective layer between the outer environment and your tooth’s marrow. Its primary function is to protect the tooth from bacteria. If it falls out, there is nothing to stop bacteria and food particles from causing painful infections or, in the best case, tooth sensitivity.
When this happens, you need to:
- Remove the filling from your mouth to remove the possibility of swallowing, which is definitely not a good idea, or accidentally chewing it and making one more problem like a crack on the other tooth.
- Call your dentist right away and listen to his instructions. He’ll book you an emergency appointment to replace tooth filling but until then, keep your mouth clean.
- Keeping your mouth clean is maybe the most crucial step. You can do it by gently brushing your teeth and only around the affected area, especially if it hurts or if there is tooth sensitivity.
- Dental wax could be beneficial if you can not book your appointment for the next few days. You can try to find it at the pharmacy and mold it against the tooth to fill the void. It’s definitely not a permanent solution, but it will stop the infection.
- Take some painkillers like ibuprofen, or you can even apply a little clove oil on a piece of cotton and place it on your tooth.
- Avoid biting and chewing on that tooth.
Why Is This Happening?
In a situation like this, you’re probably asking why this is happening to you. Well, the filling can fall out for a variety of reasons, but it’s usually because of some of the long-term oral changes. When it comes to that type of change in your mouth, they can affect biting or chewing, and the final result could be damaging tooth filling.
The main reason is a great deal of pressure in the chewing process. If you are making this pressure constantly, after a while, your tooth filling will fall out.
Your saliva can also affect the bonding of the filling over time but don’t worry, that can not happen overnight, and you can’t really control that. On the other hand, the thing you can control is your oral hygiene. It’s necessary to mention this because developing tooth decay can also endanger the filling. Last but not least, always try to avoid biting hard foods like hard candy and nuts.
Conclusion
This situation can be very stressful, so it would be best to listen to your body and notice some of the changes at the beginning. If you see any type of sensitivity to hot or cold or a small crack, it could be a sign that something’s wrong. No matter what, you should call your dentist as soon as possible and pay special attention to your oral hygiene after the tooth filling procedure.