How soon after filling can I eat UK?

You should wait at least 24 hours before eating solid foods again after you have had a filling. Since your mouth will be numb from the anaesthetic, you may not feel anything from the affected area during this period. It is best to avoid hot foods and drinks such as coffee as you could burn or bite your lip without feeling it!

If you are feeling hungry, you may want to eat soft foods or drink water through a straw. Once your filling is placed, it is best to consult with your dentist to see what the best course of action is for your oral health.

What happens during the procedure?

Firstly, your dentist will place a numbing gel onto your gums with a swab near your affected tooth. Once applied, a local anaesthetic will be inserted into your gums to help numb your tooth, so you do not feel any pain during the procedure.

Once your tooth is numb, your dentist will begin to remove the decay from your tooth. During this time, you may feel slight vibrations coming from your tooth. If you feel any pain or increased sensitivity, let your dentist know immediately.

Depending on your case, they may fill the hole left behind from the decay with either porcelain or composite. A composite resin or white filling is more common amongst our patients while both materials help to restore your tooth’s:

• Functionality
• Natural Colour
• Shape

Can I drink coffee after a filling?

You may want to avoid consuming hot drinks like coffee or tea following a filling treatment as your gums and tooth will still be numb. Due to the local anaesthetic inserted into your gums, the affects of this may take a few hours to wear off.

Therefore, you may not even feel the coffee burning your mouth if it is too hot. You may also want to avoid very cold drinks and eating solid foods.

We recommend waiting around 1 to 2 hours following your treatment before starting to consider eating soft foods again.

However, every case is different. For some patients, the effects may take longer to wear off so you should wait until you have a sense of feeling within your mouth. Again, wait 24 hours before returning to your normal eating habits.

Your dentist will be able to advise you of the right course of action before you leave the practice. If you encounter any problems following your procedure, you should contact your dentist immediately.

Taking care of your filling

When taking care of your filling following your procedure, you should avoid:

• Hot or cold solid foods and drinks
• Chewing or biting too hard
• Brushing your teeth too hard
• Soft or fizzy drinks

By avoiding all of these, you can help your filling to settle within your tooth.

In the long run, you should maintain practicing good oral hygiene methods every day. This can be done through:

• Brushing twice a day
• Flossing once a day
• Attending regular check-ups every 6 months

By maintaining good oral hygiene, you can provide your teeth and filling with a good clean while removing any plaque or bacteria build up.

By doing this, you can help to limit anymore decay from developing within your teeth!

Dental fillings on the Gold Coast

If you require a filling on the Gold Coast, contact one of our friendly practices to find out how our dentists can help.

Our state-of-the-art facilities help our highly trained dentists to provide the best dental care to all our wonderful patient’s.

Most everyone gets at least one cavity that requires filling in their lifetime. The procedure is a simple and relatively painless one, however, many people wonder how long they have to wait to eat after receiving a dental filling. The answer depends on a wide variety of factors. Please continue reading and reach out to our experienced New Jersey dental team to learn more about dental fillings and how long you will have to wait after receiving one. Here are some of the questions you may have:

What are the different types of dental fillings?

There are two types of fillings that your dentist may use. They are as follows:

• Amalgam filling: This filling is silver, and it generally takes about 24 hours to harden completely, which means you should wait at least 24 hours before chewing where you had the filling done.
• Composite filling. These fillings are more common in today’s day and age, as they will match the color of your tooth. These fillings harden right after your dentists uses a UV bluelight on your tooth. You can generally eat right after leaving the dentist’s office, however, you may have to wait 2+ hours to eat if you are still numb from the numbing agent used.

What other factors will impact how long my tooth will be sensitive after a dental filling?

There are various additional factors that may impact how long your tooth will be sensitive after a dental filling, including the following:

• Discomfort in the gum tissue/postoperative discomfort: Generally speaking, feeling a slight discomfort for a few days after having a filling procedure is normal and nothing to worry about. In many cases, you can simply take an ibuprofen to help manage the pain. Additionally, rinsing with warm salt water may ease some discomfort felt in your gums.
• Heightened sensitivity to the extremes: Sometimes, for a week or so after receiving a dental filling, you may find your tooth is sensitive to hot and cold food and beverages. This is also generally normal, and you can expect this to resolve on its own after a week or two.

There are many actions you can take to help aid the healing process along after having a filling done, including avoiding sticky, chewy, sugary, or hard foods; avoiding hot or cold foods/beverages, and chewing slowly and with your mouth closed. If you have any additional questions or you believe you have a cavity that requires a filling, give us a call today. We are always here to help.

Related Questions:

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Why are my teeth so sensitive? Click here.

What are the benefits of receiving regular fluoride treatments? Click here.

What vitamins are best for oral health? Click here.

What are the benefits of wearing a night guard? Click here.

Contact The Dental Associates of Basking Ridge is a compassionate, gentle, and professional state-of-the-art dental practice serving Basking Ridge, Morris & Somerset County. Our office is always ready to greet our patients with a smile, take the time to answer any questions, and provide the quality dental services our patients expect. Please contact us to schedule an appointment. We look forward to serving you!