Your Ottawa Invisalign® Provider
Eat food carefully immediately following your dental filling.
Depending on the type of filling that was placed, you may want to be cautious about what you eat immediately following the filling procedure. Because composite white fillings harden instantly under the blue light your dentist uses, you can eat and drink immediately following the procedure.
Some options for good foods to eat following a tooth filling include soup, scrambled eggs and crackers. Look for food that requires minimal chewing.
On the other hand, if there is pain and swelling, wait until it decreases before eating.
Metal dental fillings take a bit of time to harden, so most dentists will recommend waiting at least 24 hours after receiving the dental filling to eat any solid foods.
While you wait for the local anesthetic to wear off, to avoid chomping down on your lips, cheek, or tongue, you'll want to avoid eating. Ask your dentist for advice about when is the best time to eat after your filling.
Avoid eating sticky, hard, or chewy foods for the next 2 weeks.
You may want to refrain from hot or cold drinks and foods for a few days following a dental filling. Sticky, hard or chewy foods are also a no-no - for up to two weeks. Anything that will require you to take hard bites and chew a lot - such as meat - is probably out.
You’ll also want to avoid highly acidic foods to prevent infection.
You can take over-the-counter painkillers if you feel any pain.
You may notice some mild to moderate discomfort and pain following the filling. The majority of the time, you should notice that pain and swelling decrease within 12 hours and you can eat whatever you want without experiencing tooth sensitivity, or irritation around the area.
Take over-the-counter painkillers with ibuprofen or acetaminophen to alleviate any physical pain or discomfort after a dental filling.
If your pain, sensitivity, or general discomfort won't go away even after 24 hours have passed, get in touch with your dentist to book a follow-up appointment to check for any developing infections.
Don't stop brushing and flossing as usual.
Did you know that you don’t have to wait to brush your teeth or floss after a dental filling? As long as you brush gently and floss carefully around the tooth, you should be able to keep the area clean as usual.
If you have persistent pain, contact your dentist.
Even though you might experience mild pain or discomfort, if you experience persistent sharp pain or a nagging toothache, it can indicate that decay has extended into the tooth pulp. This may indicate that a root canal procedure might be required.