I Lost My Filling - What Should I Do?

Posted on: 28 December 2016

It happens to many of us. You are moving your tongue around your mouth after a meal, only to discover that there appears to be a gaping hole where there once wasn't one. Did you lose a filling? If you think this might be the case, follow these steps to ensure that you do not worsen the dental emergency.

Why Are Fillings Important?

Fillings are used to give the appearance of a tooth after part of it is removed due to cavities and decay. Fillings cover up damage to teeth. Occasionally, fillings do come loose and even fall out, especially when decay begins to develop around it.

Steps You Should Take when a Filling Falls Out

While a filling coming loose or falling out entirely is not necessarily an emergency, it can be painful and uncomfortable. The tissue underneath the filling is exposed, which makes your mouth feel much more sensitive. For this reason, it is perfectly fine to apply some pain reliever. Many people use clove oil to dull the sensitivity.

Next, it is important to keep the area clean. Rinse out with water after you eat, and make sure to continue brushing regularly.

If you have lost a crown rather than a filling, there are additional steps you can take to ensure that everything stays clean and healthy. For instance, you should keep the crown clean and handy, if it is available to you.

If you think you might be able to replace the crown until you can see the dentist, you may want to purchase a small tube of dental cement, available from many pharmacies. You can then insert the crown into its proper location, which will make it stick and cover the sensitive area, reducing your pain.

See the Dentist Right Away

It is important not to wait very long before seeing your dentist, as the pieces of your tooth left are not very strong. This can cause more damage than anything else, and further decay could mean that the dentist needs to add a bigger filling. Otherwise, the dentist will simply re-fill your tooth. It is important that you call the dentist to set up an appointment right away.

Even if you are able to glue in the crown, it is important that you do not allow it to sit too long without making an appointment. There could be ongoing decay that led the crown to fall out in the first place. For more information, visit websites like http://www.emergencydentistva.com.

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Anyone who provides a service specifically for the youngest among us knows that treating kids must be approached very differently from treating adults. Children are not like adult patients. They require a dental team that makes children feel safe and secure at every appointment. The pediatric dental staff also needs to understand how to work with parents as well as young patients. As a pediatric dental hygienist and a mom, I understand that specific needs of children when they are visiting the dentist. This blog will explain exactly what kids need from a dental staff and will give options for making the dental office a welcoming environment to children. We can give a whole new generation healthy smiles by making pediatric dentistry the best it can be.