One minute you’re busy and in the middle of your day; the next, you bite down and feel something odd moving in your teeth. It’s your filling, and it’s broken.
You may start panicking at the thought of a broken filling in tooth scenario, but you have nothing to worry about. While a broken tooth filling is a serious matter, and you’ll want to get to your dentist as soon as you can, there are things you can do in the meantime to mitigate the issue and reduce any potential irritation.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know regarding these types of dental emergencies. Keep reading to learn more.
What Are the Causes of a Broken Dental Filling?
Dental fillings are considered a restorative procedure. If you have any, you’re in the majority, as most people require dental fillings to treat cavities. However, dental restorations don’t exactly last forever, which means if you’ve had restorative work done, you may end up with a cracked or broken filling at some point.
There are several reasons why dental fillings fail, including:
- Tooth wear: Whether you’re a “hard” chewer or are someone who grinds their teeth and clenches their jaw, you’re making your teeth and fillings put in extra work. Essentially, a broken filling can occur over time simply from the regular function your teeth carry out or from the uneven surfaces that grinding your teeth create.
- Tooth decay: Just because you’ve had a cavity filled doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. With time, the margins of your fillings can actually shrink, allowing bacteria to collect beneath the filling resulting in new tooth decay and more dental caries. This can cause the filling to become loose, causing it to break or fall out.
- Injury: Any injury or trauma to the face, mouth, or head can result in a broken filling and several other dental emergencies. The filling may not come out at the time of the injury, but it may loosen up enough to break or fall out shortly after while eating or even brushing your teeth.
- Filling wear: Dental fillings have a shelf life, usually of up to a decade. Much of this is due to regular eating and use of your teeth. If you’ve had your fillings for more than 10 years, it’s possible for them to simply weaken and break due to regular wear and tear.
How to Tell You Have a Broken or Cracked Filling
In some instances, you may have a broken or cracked filling and not realize it. If you have mercury fillings, it’s easy to see if something is missing. However, composite fillings and ceramic fillings are tooth-colored, which can make it difficult to see that they’re missing.
Of course, there are other symptoms that something’s wrong with your dental fillings, such as:
- There’s something moving around your mouth. The most common symptom of a broken dental filling is the feeling as if there’s something in your mouth — and it’s not food or something else you’ve intentionally put there. If you can spit the object out and take a look at it, you’ll know whether or not it’s a broken dental filling.
- You have pain or sensitivity in a specific tooth. If the above doesn’t apply to you, you may notice that taking a sip of a hot or cold beverage or a bite of something remotely hard makes you ache in pain in one centralized area. This is typically an indicator that you have a broken or missing dental filling, and now that it’s gone, the nerve is exposed and especially sensitive.
- Your tongue feels that something is “off”: Your tongue does more than you think, and that includes sensing when something is off with your teeth. If you run your tongue over your teeth and notice the feeling of jagged edges or a gap where it shouldn’t be, it means that something is wrong — whether it’s a missing dental filling or a sign of another dental emergency.
What to Do When You Have a Broken Dental Filling
If you notice that you have a broken or missing dental filling, you’ll want to make an emergency dental appointment to have it fixed. Since you may not be able to see your dentist on the same day your filling fell out or broke, you’ll want to take the following steps to ensure the best outcome:
- Hold onto the dental filling. The first thing you’ll want to do — if you can — is keep your dental filling in a Ziploc bag. Your dentist may want to examine it to verify that it is, in fact, a dental filling or sterilize it and reuse it.
- Clean the affected area. The last thing you want is for the exposed part of your tooth’s structure to become infected. So, it’s best to gently brush the area to remove any food debris or residue and follow up with a rinse. It’s a good idea to do this after each meal and snack.
- Apply dental cement. You can find dental cement at most pharmacies, and you can use a little bit to temporarily fill the hole and pack it down with a wet cotton ball.
- Use OTC oral numbing products. A missing dental filling often results in discomfort, especially if the nerve is exposed. It’s a good idea to use an oral numbing product to alleviate the pain.
- Refrain from applying pressure. To mitigate your pain and suffering as well as further tooth damage, you’ll want to refrain from eating hard foods and chewing on the side where the tooth filling is missing.
Keep in mind that with mild symptoms, you should be okay for two to three days. However, if you’re experiencing severe pain, fluid discharge, or bleeding, you’ll need to see your dental professional immediately.
Whether you need a routine checkup or help with a broken tooth filling, the dental professionals at Wayzata Dental can help. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment, inquire about our restorative services, or if you’re experiencing a dental emergency.
