Don’t panic. A filling falling out of your tooth isn’t the end of the world, but acting fast can make all the difference in the outcome for the affected tooth. Whether you lost your filling because you bit into something too hard, you got injured during a sport, you grind your teeth, or for another reason, you want to know what to do when you feel that telltale hole in your tooth.
Dr. Abraham Nobel of Nobel Dental, located in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA, offers emergency dentistry so you can get the immediate care you need after losing a filling. To ensure the best results, take these steps immediately.
If the filling falls out and you can find it or didn’t swallow it, put it in a safe, clean space. Since the filling is so tiny, it helps to put it in a canister, jar, or bag. Then, place the stored filling in a safe place. Once you get your appointment scheduled (more on that next), take your filling with you to our office.
Call us the moment you lose your filling to address the issue right away. Without the filling in place, the interior of your tooth is exposed to damage and decay. Untreated, a lost or chipped filling can lead to the need for a root canal and possible tooth loss. Routine dental checkups are critical to helping prevent your fillings from falling out,.
That leads us to the next step. Take steps to protect the tooth now that it has lost its filling. Stir a half teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water, and gargle it to clean the tooth gently. If you do need to eat between losing your filling and your appointment with us, chew on the other side of your mouth and brush gently afterward.
If you have tooth pain after losing your filling, you can apply a cold compress to the area or take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (e.g., ibuprofen) to alleviate your discomfort.
At your appointment, we’ll determine if you can reuse your filling or if you’ll need a new one. If so, we discuss your filling options so you can choose the best, longest-lasting option for yourself.
For emergency and routine dental care, call our Koreatown office or book an appointment online today.
