A Loose Filling Can Be a Real Nightmare

Do you remember that time when your tooth was hurting, and you got a dental filling? It must’ve felt great to get rid of that constant throbbing pain. Many people often postpone getting dental fillings because of the fear of the dentist or the required procedure. However, the dental filling procedure is simple and immediately rids you of any pain. If you’re experiencing any kind of tooth pain and think you need a tooth filling, visit this page.

Now that you’re pain-free and your tooth is taken care of, nothing can go wrong, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. You’re now faced with the possibility of a new nightmare called a loose filling. A loose or broken filling can cause just as much pain and discomfort as a cavity, so you definitely want to avoid them. So, are there any symptoms you should be aware of that are a telltale sign of a loose filling? Yes, and that’s what we’re here to talk about.

Many people tend to ignore these symptoms thinking they’ll go away on their own, but that can only make things worse. That’s why we’ll tell you all about the symptoms and how you can prevent them.

Why Do People Get Dental Fillings?

Before we get into the symptoms of loose fillings, let’s briefly go over why people get cavity fillings, to begin with. As the name suggests, cavities are the main reason why someone might get a dental filling. However, they’re not the only reason why. Many people don’t know that their dentist could also give them a dental filling for the following reasons:

• Filling tiny teeth holes
• Fixing teeth fractures
• Dealing with discoloration

These dental fillings have many benefits. When the dentist cleans your tooth from all the decay, dental fillings fill the hole that’s left behind. This hole stops the cavity from returning and growing again. That’s why it’s imperative for your dentist to do a good job. Otherwise, the cavity you thought you got rid of will continue developing under your filling.

Other than that, dental fillings protect and strengthen your teeth but can come loose at any point. Many factors will determine if and when your filling will become loose. So, a loose filling isn’t something that should scare you, but you’ll know how to anticipate it when you learn all about the reasons why they happen.

Loose Filling Symptoms

First, let’s look into these symptoms. Trust us when we say that the loose filling pain will give you flashbacks from when you’ve had a cavity, and nobody wants that. However, the symptoms of a loose filling don’t only include pain. With that in mind, here are some of the symptoms of a loose filling:

• Pain that doesn’t go away and can often be sharp
• Tooth sensitivity to temperature, pressure, or sweets
• Difficulty biting or chewing
• Changes in position and texture

Thankfully, you won’t always experience pain and discomfort. So, how will you know if you have a loose filling then? You’re most likely to notice changes in the position or texture of the filling. Sliding your tongue across your dental filling should feel smooth. However, if you have a loose filling, it will feel rough. The best way to ensure you stay on top of your oral health is to visit your dentist regularly. They can tell if your filling will become loose or is damaged just by looking at your teeth.

Reasons Why Fillings Break or Loosen

The first thing you should know about your dental filling is what type it is. Different types of dental fillings offer various levels of protection. Also, they can last longer or shorter, depending on the materials they’re made of. So, that’s the first reason why you may have a loose filling — natural deterioration or wear and tear. However, you shouldn’t expect this to happen soon after you get your filling. Most of them will last for ten years or more.

But what if you have a loose filling a couple of months or years after getting it? That’s never a good sign. Here are some reasons why a filling may come loose earlier than predicted:

• Bad oral hygiene or development of new cavities
• Physical trauma
• Clenching or grinding your teeth
• Biting your nails
• Allergic reactions
• Constantly eating hard foods or ice

While dental fillings have a natural lifespan, your habits can shorten it drastically. Of course, your filling won’t become loose after eating one carrot or biting nails once a month when you’re really nervous. But doing these things repeatedly can damage your dental fillings. These fillings are something you want to last as long as possible because you don’t want to experience the discomfort that comes with them being loose or broken.

What Can You Do to Prevent Loose Fillings?

It’s normal to want to do anything in your power to prevent yourself from experiencing discomfort. So, what can you do to prevent loose fillings symptoms? There’s not much you can do about the natural deterioration process. It’s normal to get new fillings when they wear down and can’t protect your tooth as well as before.

But you can do a lot about your habits that include teeth grinding, nail-biting, or eating hard foods. Again, one instance of teeth grinding or chewing an ice cube probably won’t break your filling, but you should refrain from repeating these behaviors. That’s the best way to ensure your fillings last you as long as possible.

If the worst happens and you experience the discomfort of a loose filling, the best thing you can do is visit your dentist. Sometimes, our teeth are sensitive for no reason, so you may be worried for no reason. However, having a professional check it out will always give you peace of mind.