Safety Tips After Dental Filling Treatment

Success in dental care may not necessarily mean that you have never had a dental problem. It may mean that it took a restorative treatment like dental fillings to turn your life around. Besides, a lot of adjustment is necessary to keep up with good dental health after a dental filling treatment.

What Is Dental Filling Treatment?

It is a dental procedure in restorative dentistry that helps save and preserve natural teeth by repairing their structures. Dental fillings in Tampa, FL, focus on repairing the enamels that have suffered damage, particularly due to dental cavities. While tooth cavities are the most common reasons patients need dental fillings near them, other reasons are:

1. Cracked or fractured tooth
2. Hypersensitivity – when your tooth is sensitive to temperature changes
3. Severe toothache
4. Hollow teeth – deep pits and fissures on back teeth

Types of Dental Fillings in Restorative Dentistry

A crucial fact you must understand about dental fillings is that general and cosmetic dentists near you can use them for various functions. Sometimes dental fillings serve a preventive role, while other times they repair and restore teeth. The types of material in use determine its use, maintenance, and even cost. They include:

1. Gold fillings – comprise a metal alloy with gold as the primary component.
2. Silver fillings – also called amalgams. They feature a metal alloy with silver as the primary component.
3. Composite fillings – feature tooth-colored composite resin, directly molded and hardened on your teeth.
4. Porcelain fillings – are mostly indirect fillings created in a dental laboratory, featuring tooth-colored porcelain material.
5. Glass ionomers – are also called dental sealants, typically comprising clear glass-like fillings for protecting and preventing teeth from dental cavities.

Precautions After a Composite Filling

Composite fillings are different from other types of filling materials in restorative dentistry. Once your emergency dentist in Tampa places a composite filling on your tooth, any dental pain you had will wear off. However, exercise caution when handling your oral cavity after getting dental fillings. Some precautions necessary after composite fillings are:

1. Keep a clean mouth – composites can catch stains. If you slack on oral hygiene after getting composite fillings, they will eventually get discolored, compromising their aesthetic advantage.
2. Avoid hard foods – while composites are sturdy, they can still get damaged. If you are not careful about what you eat after your treatment, your composite filling may crack and allow bacteria into the treated tooth.
3. Avoid sticky foods – although the dental cement does an impressive job of adhering the filling to your natural teeth, you must be cautious about sticky foods. Chewing gums and other sticky foods may get stuck on the cusps of teeth or even dislodge the filling.

Foods You Can Eat Immediately After a Cavity Filling

Just because you have a cavity filling does not mean you give up on eating tasty foods. You only need to make several adjustments to ensure your fillings do not dislodge, crack or break. These adjustments will be crucial during the first week after your treatment. Some of the foods you can eat are:

1. Mashed potatoes
2. Smoothies
3. Yogurts
4. Pasta
5. Soups
6. Bananas
7. Scrambled eggs

With time, the sensitivity on your tooth will wear off. You should be able to re-integrate other foods into your meals. However, you still need to exercise caution when eating hard, sticky, and sugary foods.

Dos and Don’ts After Tooth Filling

At Westbay Dental, Dr. Birch invests a lot of time educating patients on dental care after dental treatments. Even after you have healed from your procedure, you should continue to care for your oral cavity with utmost gentleness and intentionality. Some dos and don’ts after tooth fillings are:

Dos

1. Visit your dentist regularly for dental exams and cleanings
2. Eat healthy and nutritious foods
3. Drink a lot of water
4. Brush and floss your teeth every day

Don’ts

1. Eat foods or take drinks that are too hot or too cold.
2. Pick or prod the tooth filling with a sharpie.
3. Eat hard foods – like candies and ice cubes.
4. Consume sugary foods – even though you have treated a cavity, you can have a new one forming if you keep consuming sugary foods excessively.