Part of good oral health is the ability to take care of your teeth even after you’ve had a problem or setback. The reality is that although we strive to take great care of our teeth, sometimes a cavity does happen. As we get older and the enamel on the tooth weakens, we become more susceptible to getting a cavity. 

There’s nothing wrong with getting a cavity at all. However, one thing to keep in mind is that they don’t always last a lifetime. There are various reasons, but a filling can sometimes fall out. If you have a filling fall out then you have to know what to do to make sure you don’t end up with a bigger problem down the line. In this article, we will go over what you need to know in case you have a filling that falls out of your tooth. 

Dentist

It will be painful

Very often, a filling is placed very close to the nerve ending. If a filling falls out then the chances are very high that there was some rotting that occurred. This means that the end of the nerve may actually be exposed when the filling falls out. You’ll need to go to a dentist right away even if it doesn’t hurt. If you wait too long then the chance of a nerve being exposed rises as does the pain. 

Look for the best dentist in your area to get in right away if possible. For instance, if you live in the Seattle area then check out a dentist in Seattle WA to be able to get an appointment right away. 

In the event that you have to wait to be seen, then you will have to try to manage the pain. There are oral analgesics that can help with tooth pain temporarily. Benzocaine is the leading topical gel that will ease the pain quickly for a little while. You will likely only get a few hours of relief so you’ll need to apply it several times before you see the dentist. 

There is a risk of infection

It seems when things like a filling coming out of the tooth happen it’s always at the wrong time. This means that there may be a delay in getting to the dentist if you are on vacation or simply have too many other things going on in your life that prevent you from going in right away. 

Since the inside of a tooth is very soft, it is easy for bacteria to find a home there and multiply. This will lead to an infection and you risk losing the tooth entirely. Try to get in to see the dentist as soon as possible. 

How long do fillings last?

If you got your filling more than 20 years ago, you may have a high risk of it falling out since the materials and techniques used back then were not as refined as they are today. If you are filling, or refilling, your tooth today then you can expect to not have to worry about it for what could be the rest of your life.