As a part of your dental treatment plan, your dentist has determined a temporary tooth filling leesburg, va is an ideal step for you.  Temporary tooth fillings are just that, temporary, and not meant to hold with the same strength and durability as its next step, a crown or permanent filling.  Temporary fillings offer adequate protection but certainly are not to be relied on long term or aggressive day in day out use.  You are going to way to take certain actions and most definitely avoid when caring for your temporary filling.  By following a few simple care instructions, you can be sure to keep your temporary filling in place until your next dental appointment and not have to make any additional appointments for replacement temporary fillings due to missteps in care.

Chewing and Eating

Ideally, you only have a temporary filling on one side of your mouth.  If that is the case, taking care to chew on the opposite side of your mouth for as long as the temporary filling is there is the first and best way you can ensure your temporary filling will stay where your dentist put it until your dentist removes it.  An occasional bite or chomp on it will not undo your dentist’s work but regular and consistent chewing will cause the temporary filling to loosen and fall out.  If you should have temporary fillings on both sides of your mouth or the filling is in an area that you can’t avoid using when chewing, take your time to bite carefully and gingerly.

Secondly, the other way to keep your temporary filling where your dentist put it until your dentist removes it is to hold off eating certain foods until your permanent filling is secured in place.  Try to dodge the raw crudité platters and the nut bowls while you have your temporary filling.  Refrain from tacky, gummy foods so as not inadvertently use them as removal tools for your temporary filling.  Some specific foods that fall into Not For Now category are pistachios, raw celery, bubble gum, taffy, seeds and crusty bread.

Brushing and Flossing

Please be sure to adhere to your usual dental care routine with twice daily brushing and flossing; your temporary filling is not a reason to skip or avoid either step in your mouth cleaning.  When brushing, a soft bristled brush might be a good investment for the time being so you can stay fastidious in brushing but in a more gentle way.  It is important to not avoid the temporary filling completely, but just be cautious when brushing that area and take a few extra moments to go more slowly than usual.  The other part to your at home teeth cleaning, flossing, should not be dodged due to the temporary filling.  Like brushing, the flossing should be done slowly and carefully.  If the temporary filling stretches the length of your tooth and reaches the edge, avoid pulling up on the edge of the filling.  Instead, drag the floss along the edge of the other tooth and you will not loosen your temporary filling from its place.

Extra moments and deliberate thoughtfulness when eating, completing your at home dental care and choosing your meals will result in a smooth experience with your temporary filling and maintain your dentist’s work.

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