Getting a cavity filling in Mill Creek is relatively straight forward. It’s a minor procedure and a complete routine for your dentist. Sure, your dentist wants to avoid doing this work but it’s one of the most common procedures for everyone.
After your filling, you’ll need to look after your teeth. You want to avoid the filling decaying over time, and you want to protect the rest of your teeth. Here are the top four tips to help protect your teeth after getting a filling.
Ask Your Dentist about Food to Eat
Some dentists will use a blue light after doing the filling. This helps the filling harden quickly. Other dentists will choose to avoid this step, meaning it takes time for the cavity filling in Mill Creek to harden. Because of this, knowing what to eat or drink after can be difficult.
You’re not likely going to think about eating and drinking right away. The anesthetic will make your mouth numb and makes eating and drinking difficult. So, wait until that wears off and listen to your dentist’s recommendations when it comes to the type of food you can eat or drink.
Some will recommend staying away from hard items, including apples and other hard fruits, for 24 hours. This could be due to the lack of blue light or mostly due to avoid biting your cheek!
Stay Away from Sticky and Chewy Foods
One standard recommendation is to avoid anything chewy or sticky right after a cavity filling in Mill Creek. In fact, many dentists recommend staying away from these items for two weeks. You need to give the filling time to fully set in your teeth.
The recommendation is also due to sensitivity in the mouth. It’s completely normal for your teeth to feel sensitive to certain foods after any dental work. This should only last two weeks or so and then return to normal.
Consider Over the Counter Medication After a Cavity Filling in Mill Creek
It’s normal to have a little discomfort and pain after a filling. Your dentist has had to drill into your teeth and place a foreign material into the gap to protect your nerves. There is nothing wrong with taking some over the counter medication to help deal with that pain and discomfort.
You’ll want to pay attention to the length of time you take the medication. After a couple of days, the pain should go away. There may be some sensitivity for two weeks after. If the pain and problems persist, there may be another issue and your dentist will want to check up on you.
Brush and Floss Your Teeth
You can brush and floss as normal as soon as you’ve had your filling. You’ll want to make sure you do this properly to prevent other cavities forming in your mouth. Brush twice a day and floss once a day at the very least. Some dentists will tell you to brush after every meal of the day.
A cavity filling in Mill Creek is certainly routine. There will usually be no long-term problems, but you will want to look after your teeth afterward.
