Dental fillings are an incredibly common type of dental restoration used to treat cavities and decay. And while fillings are strong and built to last for many years, sometimes things happen and they fall out. Here are a few tips on what to do if this happens to you.

Find the filling and keep it clean and safe

When your filling falls out, rinse it off with water and keep it in a resealable plastic bag. Bring it to your dentist’s office because it may be reusable if it’s not broken.

Carefully clean around the affected tooth

Gently rinse your mouth and brush the affected tooth to remove any food debris that may have become lodged in the exposed area. Stop brushing if you feel any pain, as this could be due to an exposed nerve.

Call your dentist

After you’ve cleaned your mouth, call your dentist to see if you can make an appointment for that day or the next day. At the appointment, your dental team will assess the affected area and look for any damage. Sometimes your dentist may recommend replacing the filling with another filling or, depending on what happened, they may suggest a dental crown. Dental crowns cap the entire tooth and provide even more protection than a filling.

Take care of any pain while you wait

Losing a filling isn’t always painful, but in some instances, it can be. This is especially true if a nerve is exposed. You can use over-the-counter pain relievers while you wait to see your dentist.

Avoid making it worse

While you wait to see your dentist, be careful to not put any extra pressure on the damaged tooth. Chew on the other side of your mouth and avoid hard, crunchy foods that require you to bite down too hard.

Know how to prevent it from happening again

Though sometimes losing a filling is unavoidable, there are ways to decrease the chances of it happening. Use caution with sticky, crunchy foods. If you know that you clench your jaw or grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist about wearing a mouthguard while you sleep. And of course, seeing your dentist regularly can help catch any loose fillings before they fall out.

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