CC image by Typexnick (Flickr)

When you have a new dental filling, the hope is, of course that it will last for years, and in many cases they do. Most of the time, you find out that you need a new filling because it gets slightly chipped and worn or because your dentist sees that some decay is recurring under the filling.

In some cases, however, you might not know that a filling is about to fail until it pops out. Depending on how large the filling is, this can cause some pain or discomfort, or it might just be annoying to your tongue. Here are some tips on what you can do if it happens to you.

1. Call your dentist. Obviously, the first thing you should do is call the office to see if you can be squeezed in that day or the next day. If it’s an evening or a weekend, call the next business day. Even if you’re not having any pain, it’s important to get the tooth re-filled to prevent the cavity from decaying further. It might take a few days to get an appointment. This is fine, unless you’re in pain; in that case, please let us know that you are having pain so we can get you in more quickly if possible.
2. Keep it clean. While waiting for your appointment, be sure to continue brushing and flossing. You may want to use lukewarm water, as temperature extremes can be painful on a tooth that has lost a filling.
3. Keep it slightly warm. Aside from brushing your teeth with lukewarm water, it’s best to avoid eating ice cream or drinking scalding coffee until you get the filling replaced. The reason is that hypersensitivity is common after a filling is lost.
4. Baby the area. This means no crunching down on hard candy or eating popcorn with that part of your mouth. You should even avoid foods that compress and expand, like white bread. Once a filling is lost, the tooth is compromised and is more prone to breaking.
5. Get a temporary filling. Go into any pharmacy and look for temporary filling material. This will help reduce hot- and cold-sensitivity and will also fill up the hole for a few days. Do not rely on this as a long-term solution, though; decay can still build up under a temporary filling, as it’s not bonded to the tooth at all.
6. Avoid sticky foods. In an effort to keep the area as clean as possible, don’t eat raisins, gummy candies or other sticky foods that can get stuck in the hole.

With any luck, your tooth will remain pain-free until you can have the dental

filling replaced, and the new filling will last for a long time! In some cases, fillings fall out because of recurrent decay; if it’s deep enough, you might need further treatment, such as a root canal or a crown. Don’t delay in getting the problem taken care of. Prompt treatment will help you avoid turning a molehill into a mountain!