No one wants to experience a dental emergency, much less one you wouldn’t expect to happen! It’s one thing when you break a tooth playing a high-intensity sport, but it’s a completely different thing when you’re enjoying a meal only to hear a sickening crunch. A crunch that you’re pretty sure was your dental filling.
If you’ve lost your filling, try not to panic. The next five steps you should take are fairly simple, and your emergency dentist will help you with the rest!
Step 1: Call Your Emergency Dentist
The very first thing you should do is call your emergency dentist. That way, you can get an appointment on the books ASAP. Plus, unlike when you lose a natural tooth, there isn’t a timeline on how long your fallen filling will stay “viable.”
Step 2: Check Your Mouth
Next, inspect your mouth. You might have to rinse a couple of times and definitely should if you’ve experienced an injury. Just be sure to plug the drain or lay a towel out over it, so that on the off chance your filling is still in your mouth, you won’t lose it to your sink pipes.
Step 3: See if You Can Find Your Filling
Assuming your filling wasn’t in your mouth, you should see if you can find it on the table, floor, or nearby furniture. It’s possible you swallowed your filling (in which case it should pass safely), but if you manage to find it, then you know for sure that you didn’t!
Step 4: Take An OTC Pain Reliever
Finally, when you’re situated, take an over-the-counter pain reliever if necessary. Ibuprofen is especially effective when inflammation is involved, so if you’re injured and have it on-hand, it could be the best medicine to take. Regardless, the goal is simply to secure your comfort; use whichever pain reliever you find to be most reliable.
Step 5: Go To Your Emergency Dental Appointment
Your emergency dentist will do their best to see you on the same day as your call. If that’s not possible, then they’ll schedule you for the next available time. Either way, you can expect your dental team to respond with prompt treatment. When you arrive at their office, try not to worry. You’ll be in good hands under your emergency dentist’s care!
About the Practice
At Dental Designs of Maryland, we have a large team of dental experts, ready to help you with whatever dental emergency you might have experienced. If you’ve lost a dental filling, we’ll see you on a same-day basis if at all possible and will take care of you and your smile quickly so you can relax and return to your normal routine. To contact us in case of a dental emergency, call our office directly at 443-936-2899.