What Should You Do If a Filling Falls Out?
A filling coming out isn’t usually an emergency, but it is time-sensitive. The tooth underneath is now unprotected, and whatever caused the filling to fail is still there.
Aim to be seen within a week or two. Sooner if there’s pain, swelling or a sharp edge cutting your tongue, and our emergency dental service in Tillsonburg sees urgent cases as quickly as we can.
In the meantime, there are a few sensible things to do and a couple of things to definitely avoid.
Is it an emergency?
Generally no, if there’s no pain and the tooth is intact. It becomes urgent with any of the following: severe or throbbing pain, swelling in your face or gums, a fever, a bad taste or smell from the area, or a tooth that has broken rather than just lost its filling.
Swelling that affects your breathing, swallowing or vision, or a high fever, means the nearest hospital emergency department rather than a dental appointment.
A front filling that’s come out is also worth treating as more pressing, simply because front teeth are thinner and more likely to chip once unsupported.
What to do in the first hour
- Get the piece out of your mouth so you don’t swallow or inhale it. If you have swallowed it, that’s almost always harmless.
- Rinse with warm salt water. Half a teaspoon in a glass, gently. This clears debris from the open cavity.
- Look at the tooth in a mirror. A shallow dip means you’ve lost the filling. A jagged edge or missing cusp means the tooth itself has fractured, which is more urgent.
- Keep the area clean. Brush gently around it and clean between the teeth, since food packing into an open cavity causes most of the discomfort people experience.
- Chew on the other side until it’s repaired.
- Use temporary dental cement from a pharmacy if there’s an open hole or sensitivity. It’s designed for exactly this and protects the tooth for a few days.
- Avoid very hot, cold and sweet things, which will provoke the exposed dentin.
- Call the clinic and describe what happened, so the right length of appointment is booked.
Clove oil on a cotton bud can ease sensitivity short term, but apply it to the tooth rather than the gum, as it irritates soft tissue.
What not to do
Don’t use superglue or household adhesive. It’s toxic to the pulp, it’s extremely difficult to remove, and it can turn a simple refill into a much larger repair.
Don’t try to refit the old filling. It won’t bond, it isn’t clean, and it may trap bacteria against the tooth.
Don’t poke at it with anything sharp. You can damage the exposed dentin or push debris deeper.
Don’t put aspirin against the gum. It causes a chemical burn and does nothing for toothache. Swallow pain relief as directed on the packet instead.
Don’t wait for pain. No pain doesn’t mean no problem. It commonly means the nerve hasn’t been reached yet, which is the good position to be in and the reason to act now.
Why do fillings fall out?
Rarely random, and the reason affects the repair.
New decay at the margin is the most common cause. Bacteria get in at the join between filling and tooth, undermining the bond from beneath.
Age and wear. Composite fillings typically last seven to ten years and amalgam ten to fifteen. Bonds degrade and materials fatigue.
Grinding or clenching applies far more force than chewing and does it sideways. Repeated filling failure in someone who grinds usually needs the grinding addressed, not just the filling replaced.
A large filling in a small tooth. When there’s more filling than tooth, the remaining walls flex and the restoration eventually loosens.
Biting something hard, like ice, a popcorn kernel or a nut, which is often the final straw rather than the real cause.
What will the dentist do?
The treatment depends on how much sound tooth remains once the cavity is cleaned out, which is why an estimate over the phone isn’t really possible.
| What’s found | Likely treatment | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| Filling lost, tooth sound underneath | New filling | One |
| Decay at the margin | Clean out, new filling | One |
| Too little tooth left to hold a filling | Crown or onlay | One or two |
| Cracked cusp | Crown | One or two |
| Decay reaching the nerve | Root canal then a crown | Two or more |
| Tooth broken below the gum | Extraction and replacement options | Varies |
Most cases are the first three rows. Our restorative care services cover the full range, and if a tooth does need replacing we can talk through the options at the same visit rather than referring you elsewhere.
How long can you realistically leave it?
A week or two with no symptoms is usually fine. Beyond that, risk climbs for a specific reason.
The exposed surface is dentin, not enamel. Dentin is softer and decays several times faster, and it sits in an open cavity that traps food and resists cleaning. Decay that was previously slow accelerates.
The unsupported walls are also more likely to fracture, and a cracked cusp changes the treatment from a filling to a crown. Several months of waiting is often the difference between the two.
If cost or anxiety is the reason for delay, it’s worth saying so when you call. Both are workable, and we offer sedation for nervous patients.
Booking in Tillsonburg
Family Dentistry on Brock cares for patients across Tillsonburg and the surrounding area, from age 2 to 92. We hold a 5.0 rating from over 250 reviews, we’re accepting new patients, and we welcome CDCP patients.
Preventative, restorative, cosmetic, surgical and orthodontic care are all provided in one practice, so whatever the examination finds is handled here. You can meet the team on our doctors page or book an appointment online.
Call 519-900-5640 and mention that a filling has come out, along with whether there’s any pain, so we can judge how quickly you need to be seen. Care is provided in line with the standards of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put the filling back in myself?
No. The old filling won’t bond and may trap bacteria against the tooth. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy is the appropriate short-term option, and it’s designed to be removed easily at your appointment.
Why doesn’t it hurt if the filling is gone?
Because the decay hasn’t reached the nerve. Pain generally arrives only once the pulp is involved, by which point root canal treatment may be needed. No pain is a reason to act promptly, not a reason to relax.
I swallowed the filling. Is that dangerous?
Almost always harmless. Filling materials are inert and small, and they pass through without issue. If you inhaled rather than swallowed it, which is rare and usually causes coughing, seek medical advice.
Will I need a crown instead of another filling?
Possibly, if the remaining tooth is too thin to support a filling or a cusp has cracked. Each replacement removes a little more tooth structure, so a tooth that’s been filled several times often reaches the point where a crown is the more durable choice.
Does a lost filling mean the tooth is failing?
Not necessarily. Many come out simply because the material has reached the end of its life, leaving sound tooth beneath. The examination determines whether it’s a straightforward replacement or whether decay has progressed underneath.
In short
Rinse with salt water, keep the area clean, use pharmacy dental cement if there’s an open hole, and chew on the other side. Book within a week or two, sooner with pain or swelling. Skip the superglue, and don’t let the absence of pain talk you into waiting months.
