National Medical Center

Tooth Filling After Care: Do's and Don'ts

How Long After a Filling Procedure Should You Wait to Eat?

If you’re wondering if you can eat after a filling, it’s best to wait until after your local anesthetic wears off to ensure you don’t chew on your tongue or your cheek without realizing it.

How to Chew After a Filling

By paying attention to what you eat after a filling and how you eat it, you can protect your new filling and lessen any pain.

  • Chew on the opposite side of the mouth from your filling
  • If you can, refrain from chewing with the recently filled tooth to avoid discomfort and harm.

  • Chew slowly, bite lightly
  • Go at your own pace and attempt not to chew all the way through. Much of the force from chewing comes from your upper and lower teeth coming together. Maintaining a relaxed jaw can help reduce discomfort

  • Keep your mouth closed
  • This isn't merely about practicing good etiquette – at times, chilly air can lead to discomfort in sensitive teeth.

  • Skip sticky foods
  • Certain fillings require time to harden after you exit the dentist's office. Consuming sticky or gummy foods might loosen a new filling, so it's advisable to steer clear of them for some time.

  • Avoid very hot or cold drinks
  • Extreme temperatures can cause discomfort in sensitive teeth.

  • Pass on the sweets
  • Sweet foods and beverages may cause sensitivity in your teeth and could also encourage bacterial growth around or beneath your new filling.

  • Avoid hard foods
  • Foods such as nuts, hard candy, or ice can create additional pressure on your tooth while chewing. Hard foods such as steak, as well. That force can move your new filling if it hasn't adequately cured yet.

    Do your regular flossing and brushing

    Even if your tooth is sore after a filling, you should not avoid brushing your teeth or flossing. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and be gentle when cleaning the treated tooth. It’s likely that the gum tissue surrounding the tooth is sensitive, as well, so floss slowly and carefully.

    Maintain a healthy and balanced diet

    Your aftercare varies based on the type of filling material used. If you choose to get a composite filling, you can eat and drink right after as it sets and hardens instantly with the blue light used by the dentist at the chairside. Food options to eat after filling are scrambled eggs, soups, or other semisolid food that requires less chewing and is nutritious. However, if you choose to get a silver amalgam filling, it takes 24 hours to harden, which is why it is advisable to eat solid foods after 24 hours. Drinking or eating anything after the amalgam filling isn’t allowed for at least an hour after it is done.

    Conclusion

    With the help of the above aftercare of your tooth filling, you will be able to prevent the discomfort of dental filling and also protect your tooth filling and the tooth itself from any damage. Thus, taking good care of dental filling is important to maintain the health of your oral cavity. If it is avoided, there are high chances of facing any complications that can affect your general and oral health.
    For more information on our dental services, schedule an appointment through https://nationalmed.ae or visit our clinic.
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