You recently visited your dentist and found out that you had a cavity or two. The dentist suggested a filling to take care of that problem. Now that you’ve gotten a new dental filling, you want to make sure it lasts so that you don’t run into any of your previous problems.
Our Alta Dental Care team knows how inconvenient it is to have cavities. We also know the importance of taking good care of your fillings so you don’t have to go through the process of having your cavities filled again.
Plus, the better you take care of your filling, the easier it is for your mouth to heal. We’re all about happy and healthy smiles, and we know that the best way for you to maintain yours is to be aware of how to treat your new dental filling.
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite ways to keep you on track with taking care of your fillings. Read our list of super-easy tips and instructions for ensuring your mouth stays healthy. When you’re done reading, contact us if you have any questions, or if you’d like to schedule an appointment with a top family dentist in Upland!
Understand Your Filling Type
There are a few different materials that dentists use to fill cavities with. While the most popular and common type of filling nowadays is the composite filling, which feels and looks just like the material your tooth is made of, it is possible that you have been filled with other materials such as:
- Amalgam (silver)
- Glass ionomer
- Ceramic
- Gold
While our team typically fills cavities with composite fillings, you may need another kind. Colgate suggests that no one type of filling is better for everyone, and we agree. We take the time to understand the individual needs of your teeth in order to determine what kind of filling would work best.
Don’t Chew Hard Substances
After your new dental filling, you want to go easy on your tooth for a while. Be sure not to eat any hard candies or vegetables that would damage the integrity of your filling. To get into the habit of this, you might try chewing on the opposite side of your mouth.
It is likely that you had localized anesthesia during your cavity fillings procedure, and so your mouth may need a little bit of time to recover from that. If you can flat out avoid chewing on the area where your filling is, that would be best.
Avoid Hot and Cold
Much like hard substances, you also want to avoid any extreme temperatures on that side of your mouth. Cold drinks and hot foods can damage your new filling and actually hurt you, too!
You’ll likely notice that hot and cold foods feel really sensitive in your mouth for a while. It’s a good idea to avoid anything extreme for a while until your mouth is fully recovered.
As your mouth starts to heal, the sensitivity will wear off. Before too long, you’ll be able to eat your favorite hot and cold things again. But make sure that you tune into how your tooth is feeling before you start.
Don’t Brush or Floss Too Hard
Again, the area around your new dental filling (including the filling itself) is very sensitive for a few days after the procedure is complete. While you definitely want to continue brushing and flossing your teeth like normal, you want to do so very gently.
This is mostly because rough bristles can damage the new fillings if they haven’t completely set in yet. And it’s not just the fillings you should think about, but the enamel on your teeth as well. This is the strong protective layer that sits on the outside of our teeth, protecting it from things like decay and staining. Your Dental Health Resource suggests not brushing right away after you eat since the enamel is working on rebuilding itself at this time.
It’s a good rule of thumb to think about for your fillings as well.
Visit Your Upland Dentist for a Regular Checkup!
Having cavities is not a fun experience, but thankfully fillings are an easy and common procedure that can wipe away your problems quickly. You just need to be sure to invest in the proper aftercare steps so you can keep your filling strong and your teeth even stronger.
If you have questions about your new dental fillings, or you are interested in scheduling an appointment with us to see if you have cavities that need to be filled, our staff at Alta Dental Care is here to help! Simply contact us online, or give us a call at (909) 451-8300 to speak with a representative. We hope to see you soon!