Dental Filling Aftercare Tips From Roderick A. Garcia, DMD PC

In our clinic, we place dental fillings and regularly provide patients with dental filling aftercare tips to ensure that the fillings last as long as possible. We can help patients keep dental fillings in amazing shape.

Ceramic Resin Fillings

We recommend tooth-colored fillings in our clinic because they are the most natural looking. Tooth-colored fillings are an excellent way to restore a tooth that suffers from dental decay. Because the filling will blend in seamlessly with the natural tooth structure, it is impossible for people to tell which teeth are fillings and which teeth are natural.

Another benefit of these tooth-colored fillings is that we can place, shape and harden the fillings in one appointment with a special blue light. It is easier to care for a filling when it hardens prior to leaving the dentist office.

What To Do After An Appointment

Since tooth-colored ceramic fillings harden in our office, there are a few restrictions after leaving. It is possible to eat once the appointment is over. However, some people will experience some sensitivity in the teeth. Thus, it can sometimes be helpful to limit foods to things that are softer and easier to chew. Also, it is best to avoid foods that are extremely hot or extremely cold for 24 hours.

Each patient is different and some people report that they feel sensitivity or slight discomfort when eating for around a week. Others can eat everything that same day without any discomfort. Our recommendation is to pay attention to how the tooth feels and react accordingly.

If it is necessary to eat on the other side of the mouth for a few days, that is perfectly fine and normal. If there is no discomfort and possible to eat foods like normal, then that is fine as well. If there is any discomfort, the patient can manage it with over the counter pain medication, like ibuprofen.

We Also Recommend The Following

• Do not eat anything that is very sticky, like caramel, for a couple of days
• Do not chew on ice, now or ever
• Call our clinic if there is discomfort that lasts longer than a week

Caring For Teeth

It is important to take particular care of teeth once a dental filling has been placed. We have heard from many patients who are unsure if they can begin to brush and floss their teeth like normal or if they need to wait to do so. We do not want patients to wait for these functions because it is critical that the patient maintains an effective oral hygiene routine.

This includes brushing teeth twice per day, flossing daily and eating a mouth-healthy diet. A mouth-healthy diet generally includes avoiding sugar, food, and drink that is high in acid content, soda and refined carbohydrates. Instead, it is better to eat lean protein, dairy, green and crunchy vegetables, nuts and whole grains. This diet can help to read mineral lies and strengthen teeth, something that is important for preventing additional decay.

Other Types of Dental Fillings

While we recommend a tooth-colored dental filling due to its aesthetic value and functionality, some people are still opting to receive metal fillings. In this case, the aftercare tips will be slightly different. It can take up to 24 hours for metal fillings to harden.

As such, it is important to avoid eating anything or having food make contact with that tooth. The dentist may provide additional aftercare instructions when placing metal fillings.

Schedule an Appointment

If you are experiencing any dental decay it is critical that you schedule an appointment with our clinic to have the decay removed, the area cleaned and a dental filling placed. This is essential because waiting to treat the tooth could cause the infection to spread and create the need for something like a root canal in the future.

Dealing with dental decay immediately is the best and easiest way to maintain good oral health. When here, we can discuss the process of receiving a dental filling in greater detail and provide any additional aftercare instructions at that time.