Filling Fell Out? Here’s a Temporary Fix.

It’s a mishap that we all dread. We’re getting into a delicious meal when we feel something clash against our teeth. Something too hard to be food. With horror, you realize that your permanent filling isn’t so permanent after all. It’s fallen out while you were eating!

While a lost filling is an uncomfortable and potentially painful occurrence for the exposed tooth, the steps you take early on can significantly impact discomfort and the risk of infection that you will face later.

While a home fix may give you a temporary solution for pain if your permanent tooth filling or temporary tooth filling fell out, there is no substitute for proper care. A permanent solution to your filling falling out from a dental professional licensed by the American Dental Association in the form of a new filling is the only way to fix the problem.

Time is of the essence when you have a broken filling or a cracked filling. So with that in mind, use this temporary fix to tide you over during your dental emergency until you and your teeth get back in the dentist’s chair for permanent tooth fillings.

Make an Appointment With Your Dentist as Soon as Possible!

As soon as you notice that your dental filling fell out, your first step should be to pick up the phone and book an appointment with your dentist. Whether your front tooth or molar filling fell out makes no difference, you now have an open hole to your tooth pulp that can easily fill up with bacteria. 

A tooth that is missing a composite filling is exceptionally vulnerable. Suppose you don’t get the exposed tooth fixed by a dentist immediately. Food and bacteria can propagate in the tooth fillings absence placing your tooth at risk. You should try and get into your dental office immediately for dental emergencies. If you can’t get a same-day appointment, try and get one within 48 hours.

Some people may think that an at-home temporary dental filling will be enough to seal away the problem if they had a filling fall out. However, at-home temporary tooth filling kits are only made to seal fillings until a person can get to their dentist for a more permanent emergency tooth filling. In addition, when using the temporary filling material from an OTC tooth filling kit to fill the hole left by lost fillings, the DIY cavity filling material is often not an exact fit for the tooth cavity. Leaving a space open in your tooth can create a place where food and bacteria can grow and eventually cause even more damage to your teeth. This is why a homemade temporary tooth filling is only a temporary solution. 

If you don’t have dental insurance or your coverage has lapsed, there are still ways to get the help you need. Many dental schools offer services at a reduced cost. You can also find a dentist willing to do permanent or temporary fillings and other emergency treatment plans on a sliding scale or a payment plan for the patient! There are all sorts of options so you don’t have to rely on a homemade temporary filling for tooth pain longterm. 

Preserve the Filling if You Can

Losing a tooth filling is never fun! If your filling falls out, assuming that you haven’t swallowed the tooth filling or lost it down the sink while brushing your teeth, you should try and keep it. Clean up the missing filling and keep it somewhere safe. Then, your dentist will decide whether to re-insert the filling. Often, they will set a replacement filling with dental cement, or another treatment, such as a root canal and a crown. But keeping the filling is a good idea, just in case.

Gently Clean

Next, gently clean your whole mouth while taking special care not to agitate the affected tooth. Rinse with warm water, saltwater, or mouthwash, focusing on the affected area. This will reduce the risk of bacteria collecting in the gap left within the tooth, which can cause tooth decay.

Numb Your Tooth and Gums

If a tooth filling fell out, pain relief might be the first thing on your mind. You may experience pain, tenderness, or discomfort in and around the exposed area before you can get to a dentist. Even if you have had a root canal before getting dental fillings, there is always a possibility of pain.

An ice pack can work wonders for pain after noticing that a tooth filling fell out. Apply the ice pack to your face outside of the area your mouth that hurts to reduce pain and swelling. You may also want to buy clove oil to gently massage into the hole in your tooth and the surrounding gums.

If pain persists before you are able to get into your dental office for treatment, use an over-the-counter pain medicine like Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

How to Seal Tooth Hole Temporarily

If you’re wondering what the best permanent tooth filling at home kit is, unfortunately there isn’t a permanent at home tooth filler. A temporary filling kit will be the best dental repair kit available over the counter.

To prevent food particles from getting stuck and causing tooth decay after a filling falls out, seal the gap left in the dental fillings absence with an over the counter tooth sealant such as dental wax as a temp tooth filling. This temp filling for tooth holes should tide you over until your doctor is ready to implement treatment such as a permanent filling, crown, or other dental work.

Identify the Cause of the Filling Loss

After a filling falls out, the more you know about why the dental filling broke or came out, the better able your dentist will be to guard against this happening in the future. To prevent a losse filling and lost fillings, make a note of what you were doing/eating at the time. If it was something like popcorn or hard candy, your dentist might want to place an iver the counter tooth sealant on the tooth in question to prevent this type of dental filling from coming out again.

Preventing tooth decay and other ailments is the most crucial part of your oral health!

Eat and Drink Smart

While you’re waiting for your dental appointment, it’s vital that you don’t eat or drink anything which may exacerbate tooth pain or cause further damage to your oral health. For example, avoid eating sugary foods, foods too hot or cold, and anything hard. Also, avoid chewing on excessively sticky foods before you see your dentist.

Furthermore, try not to do much chewing on the affected side of your mouth, especially if a brand new filling fell out, as it may be painful.

Anything you eat from now until the time you have the filling replaced has the potential to make its way into the hole your old filling left behind. The last thing you want is a cavity before you have fillings replaced!

If your filling has fallen out recently, you think your fillings may fall out, or if you need help with your other dental needs, from decay to braces, please don’t hesitate to contact our skilled team. We would be delighted to treat a new patient and get you smiling again!