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What to Do When You Lose a Filling from Your Tooth
Earlier this week, I wrote about what you should do when a crown falls off. Today, I will discuss what you should do when you lose a filling.
Losing a filling from your tooth can be quite a traumatic event, especially if it comes out while you're eating and you accidentally bite down on it.
However, there's really no need to worry when a filling comes out of your tooth because your dentist will be able to fix it.
Also, there's no need to save the filling if it was a composite, amalgam, or glass ionomer filling (the majority of fillings.)
If it was a gold or ceramic inlay filling (rather uncommon) then you may want to save it if you can find it since your dentist may be able to cement it back into place.
What to Do When a Filling Comes Out of Your Tooth
The first thing that you should do is remove it from your mouth so that you don't accidentally swallow it or breathe it in. A majority of the time when you swallow a filling, it simply passes without a problem. On the contrary, if you accidentally breathe a filling into your lungs, it could cause an infection.
Next, you should call your dentist and schedule an appointment to have your dentist replace the filling. If the filling was recently placed, and it came out during the course of normal chewing, then your dentist may replace it for free or at a reduced rate. It is important to communicate what you want to your dentist -- if the filing was improperly bonded to the tooth, then the dentist is at fault and should probably replace it free of charge.
Before you get to your dentist, it is important to practice impeccable oral hygiene around the area where the filling used to be. An unfilled tooth is a good trap for food which can cause harmful bacteria to accumulate. Be sure to brush gently and carefully inside the hole where the filling was to ensure removal of all food debris.
It is also a good idea to rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater after eating. An effective rinse can be made by combining one cup of warm water and one teaspoon of salt.
What To Do If Your Tooth Is Sensitive After Losing a Filling
If your tooth is sensitive after losing your filling, then it is likely that there are exposed dentin tubules. Dentin tubules are tiny pathways of communication between the dentin and the pulp of your tooth. The dentin tubules are essentially providing a direct pathway from the inside of your mouth to the pulp in your tooth.
Since the only sensation that the nerves in the pulp can send to your brain is pain, the tooth feels sensitive to hot and cold and can be quite painful.
To alleviate this pain, over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin, Tylenol, and Advil can help. A better solution would be to stop the source of the pain. Since the pain is caused by the exposed dentin tubules, you can try to cover those.
You can cover the dentin tubules by putting a temporary filling material inside the hole in your tooth to replace that lost filling. I have heard that sugar-free gum or a thick wax will work if you are in a bind. A better material to fill your tooth is a commercial temporary filling material with zinc-oxide, which can be found at many pharmacies.
Commercial Temporary Dental Filling Materials
There are a few different brands of temporary dental filling materials on the market such as Dentemp, Temparin and Cherry-flavored Refilit. You can click on the links to learn more about them, but it's probably best to get them from your local drugstore rather than online if you've already lost your filling. If you're planning ahead and trying to make a dental first aid kit, then it may be a cheaper option to buy online.
These are all different brands of pretty much the same thing. It is a zinc-oxide filling material that you simply push into the hole using a wet finger. After a few minutes, your saliva will cause the temporary filling to harden.
It is important to remember that these temporary filling materials are only meant to last for a few days, although some reviewers online have had theirs last for a couple of weeks. Make sure you get an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible.
Conclusion
When you lose a filling, make sure you take care of the tooth and call your dentist. If it hurts, you can take some pain medicine, but you should probably go get some temporary filling material to fill the tooth until you can see your dentist.
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Hi, I'm Tom. I'm currently a 4th year dental student in the USA. I started this blog to help people take better care of their teeth. You can 
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what if you cant get ahold of your dentist until Monday and it's Friday?
Hi Logan - I would personally run to the pharmacy and pick up some temporary filling material and put that in until Monday.
You could also call your dentist's office. Usually, they have a number for emergencies. But, in this case, I would suspect that your dentist would just have you come in on Monday since this isn't an extreme emergency. I hope that helps. Thanks for your comment. Try to have a great weekend in spite of the lost filling!
Hi Tom. I've really enjoyed reading your blog. I have a quick question for you, is it urgent to fill a cracked filling? I have a cracked composite filling on one of my back molars, but my dentist wants me to wait to re-fill it after I get retainers (I broke my orthodontic retainers 2 months ago and since then my bite has been off). I can understand why he wants me to stabilize my bite before I get the work done, but I was wondering if waiting 2-3 weeks to re-fill the tooth poses any dangers. Since my bite is off I'm having a hard time telling whether the discomfort I have (minor) is from my bite or the cracked filling. Also, how would you advise I "take care" of my cracked filling in the meantime to make sure it doesn't get infected. Thanks so much!
Hi Lisha - When your filling is cracked, it leaves a small opening that is impossible for you to keep clean. Since your toothbrush can't reach down inside of the cracked filling, your best bet for taking care of it would be to cut down on the amount of sugar that you eat and consider using a fluoride mouth rinse.
We have new patients that come into the dental school that need lots of fillings. In some cases, it can take us months to finally get all of the fillings completed. As long as you haven't developed a large cavity under the cracked filling, I would assume that there isn't a problem with waiting a few weeks, especially since that is what your dentist recommends.
One thing to consider is that if you have the clear plastic retainers that fit over your teeth, make sure that it still fits perfectly over your back molar after your dentist replaces the old filling (as the retainer would have been built to conform to the tooth with the old filling.)
I hope that helps, Lisha - Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Tom, thanks so much for the quick reply. I'll go and pick up some fluoride rinse today. I'll also remember to bring my new retainer to my filling appointment to make sure that it fits properly. With regards to the broken filling, if I'm unable to brush my teeth after a meal, is it a good idea to chew sugarless gum? I was wondering if it would be more helpful or harmful. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
Hi Lisha - Usually chewing sugarless gum helps your teeth because it helps you produce more saliva which helps your teeth.
In your case, I'm not sure exactly what condition the broken filling is in, so it may be safer not to chew, but I can't give you a good answer one way or the other. Since your dentist wants to wait to replace the filling, my guess is that you don't need to worry too much. If it was a really big filling, your dentist probably would've let you know.
I hope that helps, Lisha. Thanks for your comments!
Just had a exam and the dentist noticed a filling fell out in the last tooth on the bottom(All my wisdom are pulled).
Said I should get it re-filled within 6 months and shouldn't be a problem if I keep it clean.
Didn't even notice and there is no pain.
Is this too long of a time to wait? Reason for 6 months is I have a job overseas and wanted to to it in either Guam or USA instead of Asia.
Hi Randy - Your dentist knows it it's alright or not. It sounds like it was probably a shallow filling and you'll be fine if you keep it clean. With the small hole in your tooth, just make sure you're able to see back there well enough to keep it clean, or you could have another cavity on your hands when you go to have it re-filled.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions, Randy.
if itz not sensitibe but hurts alot u need to do to the dentist i had it befor they just pull it out it never hurtz swear when they num it.when they take it out u will feel like someone is pushing u thatz all then get gawz and stuff simple as it can be
hi im just saying 2 mins ago i just relised that i have cracked my tooth right at the back and i can start to feel the nerves irratate it and my dentist is not at work today so i have to go through pain all day ouch!! so not all dentists are helpfull
Thanks Tom!
Hi Tom,
I just came across this site because I lost a filling about 2 weeks ago but I don't have dental insurance or the cash on hand right now to fill it with a dentist. What do you suggest I do? Thanks for your help!