Do mind the food you choose to eat after a dental filling.
You will need to consider the type of filling that you have when you consider eating after a dental filling. Because composite white fillings harden instantly under the blue light your dentist uses, you can eat and drink immediately following the procedure.
Some options for good foods to eat following a tooth filling include soup, scrambled eggs and crackers. It would be ideal to choose foods that don't need you to chew very much.
If you have any pain then you should wait until this subsides before you begin to eat.
Metal dental fillings take a bit of time to harden, so most dentists will recommend waiting at least 24 hours after receiving the dental filling to eat any solid foods.
To avoid biting your lips, cheek, or tongue, you will likely want to wait until the local anesthetic wears off before attempting to eat. Ask your dentist for advice about when is the best time to eat after your filling.
Don't chew on sticky or hard foods for the first couple of weeks.
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.
Acidic food has the potential to increase your risk of infection. Avoid these foods for the first two weeks.
Do take the recommended dosage of pain medication as needed.
You may notice some mild to moderate discomfort and pain following the filling. The majority of the time, you should notice that pain and swelling decrease within 12 hours and you can eat whatever you want without experiencing tooth sensitivity, or irritation around the area.
Be sure to take any pain medication as suggested by your dentist during recovery.
In the event, pain, sensitivity or discomfort do not disappear after 24 hours, contact your dentist to schedule an appointment to check on your filling, to ensure that infection is not developing.
Don't forget to floss your teeth.
Did you know that you can actually brush and floss your teeth safely after a dental filling? As long as you brush gently and floss carefully around the tooth, you should be able to keep the area clean as usual.
Do reach out to your dentist if you are experiencing pain.
Though it's true that you may feel some mild pain or discomfort, a persistent sharp or throbbing toothache can indicate that the decay has reached your tooth's pulp. You may need a root canal. Contact your dentist, who can address it for you promptly.
