Filling fell out...what to do till I can see my dentist?

November 21, 2007 5:46 PM

Dammit. It looks like part of a filling in one of my molars has fallen out... on the evening before Thanksgiving, naturally! I've already called my dentist and no one's in the office till Monday (and I don't think this counts as a bona fide emergency). What should I do to minimize the damage till I can get in to see him?

I'm not in any pain. Nothing's exposed, except the rough/chipped edges on the edge of the tooth. I probably have some wax left over from my old days with braces that I can cram in there. Is there anything else I can do or should be aware of?

posted by scody to health (15 comments total)

Don't chew any food with that side of your jaw; no popcorn or sticky/chewy stuff.
posted by Brocktoon at 5:49 PM on November 21, 2007

Nah, no worries. I lost one oh, months ago now and have not had time to go into a dentist. Just keep it brushed and mouthwashed as normal and you'll be totally fine until next week, no problems.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:49 PM on November 21, 2007

Any drugstore sells over the counter filling cement. You can place it yourself and you can take a week to see a dentist. Happy munching.
posted by carmina at 5:58 PM on November 21, 2007

I would second the being careful about what you eat on that side of your mouth, especially anything hard. the lack of a filling may have created some breakable surfaces...

other than that, if there is no pain, you should be ok...
posted by HuronBob at 5:59 PM on November 21, 2007

Call an ER and ask if there is a dentist on call.
posted by wfc123 at 6:09 PM on November 21, 2007

If you can't get a temporary filling (such as carmina suggests), mouthwash twice a day, morning and night, ideally one containing chlorhexidine (an antiseptic), or failing that.. one with no alcohol content. Also, a salt wash a few times a day as needed (a few table spoons of salt in a glass of reasonably warm water) as this can help remove food particles that get trapped in there more easily than regular mouthwashes. Avoid sugary or sharp foods, no soda.
posted by wackybrit at 6:18 PM on November 21, 2007

Seconding a DIY temporary filling. I've used the Dentemp kit on several occasions. It should give you peace of mind and only takes a minute to apply, and an hour of not eating afterward.
posted by cmgonzalez at 6:19 PM on November 21, 2007

Drink more tomorrow. On Friday, make sure you get a nice shot of Novocaine prior to having the filling replaced.
posted by caddis at 6:20 PM on November 21, 2007

Apparently, the button on my keyboard that says ESC has been replaced with a ZOMG button on wfc123's.

A missing filling in no way qualifies as an emergency. People routinely survive, perfectly pain free, for months and years with missing fillings. Since scody is talking about waiting for four days to have hers replaced, I'm pretty sure she could pack it with Bubble Yum in the interim and suffer no long term damage.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:57 PM on November 21, 2007

nthing the temporary filling stuff from the drugstore. My uncle has used that stuff for far longer than recommended and been fine.
posted by crinklebat at 7:28 PM on November 21, 2007

Beeswax works, if you have some around, as a temp filling.
posted by QIbHom at 7:52 PM on November 21, 2007

Another mefite here who has used the temporary filling for several days, just fine.
posted by selfmedicating at 8:04 PM on November 21, 2007

Thanks everyone -- I'm relieved to know that the cracking of the tooth isn't imminent, as I had (perhaps irrationally) feared! I am going to try to find some temp filling to make it through till next week, and barring that, will follow wackybrit's suggestions to keep it as clean as possible.

Thanks again!
posted by scody at 8:42 PM on November 21, 2007

As long as you see a dentist soonish, and you don't suspect there is decay under where the filling fell out, the temp filling should be really okay. Packing temp filling over decay... not recommended. I am not a dentist, but I do have teeth. YMMV.
posted by jerseygirl at 9:43 PM on November 21, 2007

Do not eat nuts or taffy or popcorn or anything stupid until you get the filling taken care of.

This is not an emergency unless it starts to hurt. If it does, you should get a hold of the dentist as soon as you can. (Could be a cracked tooth or infection, or something else going on if there is pain.)

I am not a dentist. I will never be a dentist. This is not medical or dental advice.
posted by bilabial at 7:01 AM on November 22, 2007