You won't be able to eat right away with all types of dental fillings.
While some fillings are hardened on-site allowing you to eat and carry on as usual, some are not and you should wait for indulging. Because composite white fillings harden instantly under the blue light your dentist uses, you can eat and drink immediately following the procedure.
When you've had a dental filling you should stick to eating soft and easy-to-chew foods for the first little while.
If you have any discomfort from the procedure then you should wait until this has resolved itself before eating.
Metal dental fillings take a bit of time to harden, so most dentists will recommend waiting at least 24 hours after receiving the dental filling to eat any solid foods.
To avoid biting your lips, cheek, or tongue, you will likely want to wait until the local anesthetic wears off before attempting to eat. Ask your dentist for advice about when is the best time to eat after your filling.
It can take up to two weeks until you can eat all the foods you used to.
Your tooth may be sensitive for the first few days after a dental filling and so you should avoid foods that are hot or cold. You should also avoid foods that are sticky or require a lot of chewing for a couple of weeks until the filling is completely set.
You’ll also want to avoid highly acidic foods to prevent infection.
Discomfort is normal after a dental filling and you may need pain medication.
Minor swelling or discomfort after a dental filling can be perfectly normal but intense or persistent pain is not. The majority of the time, you should notice that pain and swelling decrease within 12 hours and you can eat whatever you want without experiencing tooth sensitivity, or irritation around the area.
Take over-the-counter painkillers with ibuprofen or acetaminophen to alleviate any physical pain or discomfort after a dental filling.
In the event, pain, sensitivity or discomfort do not disappear after 24 hours, contact your dentist to schedule an appointment to check on your filling, to ensure that infection is not developing.
Brush your teeth as normal after you have a dental filling placed.
Did you know that you don’t have to wait to brush your teeth or floss after a dental filling? As long as you brush gently and floss carefully around the tooth, you should be able to keep the area clean as usual.
If you are suffering from any severe dental pain after a filling you should contact your dentist.
Though it's true that you may feel some mild pain or discomfort, a persistent sharp or throbbing toothache can indicate that the decay has reached your tooth's pulp. You may need a root canal. Contact your dentist, who can perform an examination to get to the root of the problem.