You may want to avoid consuming hot drinks like coffee or tea following a filling treatment as your gums and tooth will still be numb. Due to the local anaesthetic inserted into your gums, the affects of this may take a few hours to wear off.
Dentists generally advise patients not to eat or drink anything for the first hour after the filling is placed. A full 24 hours need to pass before the person attempts to eat hard foods.
Avoid hot and cold foods and drinks
Foods and drinks that are hot and cold could irritate the mouth, as well. Therefore, avoid drinking any coffee, hot tea, or ice-cold beverages until the mouth recovers. Instead, drink cool or warm temperature water, which keeps the mouth clean and avoids irritation.
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.
Don't: Drink Hot Beverages
The anesthetic does not wear off immediately following a filling. Because you will not be able to accurately measure a drink's temperature, you could burn yourself easily. Hot beverages are best avoided until all feeling returns to the mouth.
You can generally eat right after leaving the dentist's office, however, you may have to wait 2+ hours to eat if you are still numb from the numbing agent used.
Dentists recommend waiting one hour after the procedure to eat anything, and to wait 24 hours before eating solid foods. White fillings are made of composite, which is a white paste of resin that hardens instantly when exposed to blue light.
Eating sticky foods too soon after a filling can dislodge your new filling. This doesn't happen often and is more likely with amalgam fillings than composite fillings. Take your time. By eating slowly, you can avoid biting down too hard and chewing on the side of your mouth where your new filling is located.
Eating sticky foods too soon after a filling can dislodge your new filling. This doesn't happen often and is more likely with amalgam fillings than composite fillings. Take your time. By eating slowly, you can avoid biting down too hard and chewing on the side of your mouth where your new filling is located.
White fillings don't last as long as silver fillings, and on average sustain for about 7-10 years. Nonetheless, they're still an incredibly strong, successful treatment for most cavities.
The reason your dentist normally numbs your mouth as part of the filling process is that they must use a drill to remove decayed tissue from inside the tooth. Without anesthesia, you may feel some twinges of pain while that is happening.
In general: amalgam fillings last 5 to 25 years. composite fillings last 5 to 15 years. gold fillings last 15 to 20 years.
Dentists recommend patients who have had tooth filling to wait at least 2 hours before they resume eating anything. Even then, you should avoid very hard or sticky foods. Chewing a pizza requires greater effort by your teeth, especially when you're eating chicken or beef pizza.
A composite filling hardens immediately under UV light. Still, your dentist might recommend that you wait at least two hours before eating because your cheeks and gums might be a little numb from the anesthetic.
Recovery Time
For something like a cavity filling, your local anesthesia should wear off within 1 to 3 hours. While the numbness dissipates, you may experience some difficulty chewing, speaking, or even smiling within that window.
You may drink through a straw. After your tooth is filled or bonded the tooth may be sore or sensitive to temperature for several days. For the soreness, you may take any typical analgesic such as aspirin, Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol.
This is because composite materials chemically bond to the surface of the tooth like an adhesive. The process takes slightly longer to complete than traditional amalgam fillings, but patients can preserve more of the natural portion of the teeth while enjoying a restoration that is discreet and understated.
White fillings may turn a darker color over time from smoking, drying out or exposure to high staining foods or drinks.
The maximum time required for filling a moderate cavity doesn't exceed 40 minutes per tooth. Therefore if you have three intermediate holes, expect to spend about a couple of hours at the dentist's office to restore your tooth to full functionality with dental fillings.
There is no single number of how many times you can have a filling replaced. Usually, we will stop replacing the dental filling after the hole becomes too large. Once you have more filling material than natural tooth material your tooth no longer holds enough strength.
Dental Filling Costs
The dental filling cost ranges between $115 and $300 in Australia. If the filling cost is out of your budget, you can check to see if dental fillings cover your private insurance. The dental filling cost has several tangible factors linked to it. Let's look at what they are.
It's true, dental fillings unfortunately do not last forever. Though they are applied in such a way that ensures they stay put for many years, life happens, and they still can come loose.
It's relatively common for you to have some pain or sensitivity in the treated tooth after a filling. After all, a dentist was just poking around and drilling in the tooth. Usually, any discomfort should fade after a day or two.
Normal Pain
Sensitivity is also a common side-effect of having a cavity filled. Normal pain caused by a filling should disappear within a few days. If it lasts longer, you should contact your dentist.