My Filling Fell Out! What Do You Do And How To Get Help!
Help! My Filling Fell Out! What Do You Do When Your Fillings Start Abandoning Ship?
A bite of lunch. A sip of coffee. You run your tongue along your teeth when suddenly you realise…
It’s gone. That familiar presence in your mouth. Your helpful little tooth buddy has sailed off into the sunset quicker than you can say “Ahoy there!”.
So what do you do when you realise that your filling fell out? What does it mean?
A word about fillings
A filling is designed to provide assistance to a tooth that has experienced decay. It can be made from a variety of materials depending on personal choice, dental availability, aesthetic preference and cost.
The filling material effectively acts as a plug and safeguards the tooth against the invasion of further bacteria.
By very nature of the complex processes of the human mouth, fillings are not designed to last forever. As the mouth, jaw and teeth will shift and change over time, it’s only natural that your fillings will eventually decide to sail off towards that big dental surgery in the sky.
But my filling fell out!
Besides feeling betrayed by your problem filling, there are a few questions you may have.
- Where did it go?
- Is anything bad going to happen?
- What do I do now?
Where did my filling go?
Good question.
Your filling could have become dislodged in something that you were eating. It could have fallen out while you were brushing or flossing. Or… you could have swallowed it. (It’ll pass.)
None of these are a big deal. If your filling fell out, the most important thing to do is to let it go and focus on the aspect of your treatment you can actually control.
Is anything bad going to happen?
Your decayed tooth is now exposed to the air, bacteria and food substances. You might experience a weird sensation, like nerves tingling, or you may be in actual pain. When you realise that your filling fell out your first port of call should be your dentist.
What do I do now?
Call your family dentist and arrange a dental appointment as quickly as possible to prevent further damage to the exposed tooth. Let reception know that your filling fell out so they can give you any further immediate advice.