How long after a filling can I eat?

You should wait at least 24 hours before eating solid foods again after you have had a filling. Since your mouth will be numb from the anaesthetic, you may not feel anything from the affected area during this period. It is best to avoid hot foods and drinks such as coffee as you could burn or bite your lip without feeling it!

If you are feeling hungry, you may want to eat soft foods or drink water through a straw. Once your filling is placed, it is best to consult with your dentist to see what the best course of action is for your oral health.

What happens during the procedure?

Firstly, your dentist will place a numbing gel onto your gums with a swab near your affected tooth. Once applied, a local anaesthetic will be inserted into your gums to help numb your tooth, so you do not feel any pain during the procedure.

Once your tooth is numb, your dentist will begin to remove the decay from your tooth. During this time, you may feel slight vibrations coming from your tooth. If you feel any pain or increased sensitivity, let your dentist know immediately.

Depending on your case, they may fill the hole left behind from the decay with either porcelain or composite. A composite resin or white filling is more common amongst our patients while both materials help to restore your tooth’s:

  • Functionality
  • Natural Colour
  • Shape
Dr Jason Bulmer Composite Resin Filling Restoration
Composite Resin Filling Restoration by Dr Jason Bulmer from Coastal Dental Care Banora Point

Can I drink coffee after a filling?

You may want to avoid consuming hot drinks like coffee or tea following a filling treatment as your gums and tooth will still be numb. Due to the local anaesthetic inserted into your gums, the affects of this may take a few hours to wear off.

Therefore, you may not even feel the coffee burning your mouth if it is too hot. You may also want to avoid very cold drinks and eating solid foods.

We recommend waiting around 1 to 2 hours following your treatment before starting to consider eating soft foods again.

However, every case is different. For some patients, the effects may take longer to wear off so you should wait until you have a sense of feeling within your mouth. Again, wait 24 hours before returning to your normal eating habits.

Your dentist will be able to advise you of the right course of action before you leave the practice. If you encounter any problems following your procedure, you should contact your dentist immediately.

Taking care of your filling

When taking care of your filling following your procedure, you should avoid:

  • Hot or cold solid foods and drinks
  • Chewing or biting too hard
  • Brushing your teeth too hard
  • Soft or fizzy drinks

By avoiding all of these, you can help your filling to settle within your tooth.

In the long run, you should maintain practicing good oral hygiene methods every day. This can be done through:

By maintaining good oral hygiene, you can provide your teeth and filling with a good clean while removing any plaque or bacteria build up.

By doing this, you can help to limit anymore decay from developing within your teeth!

Dental fillings on the Gold Coast

If you require a filling on the Gold Coast, contact one of our friendly practices to find out how our dentists can help.

Our state-of-the-art facilities help our highly trained dentists to provide the best dental care to all our wonderful patient’s.

If you would like to book an appointment, you can do so by booking an appointment online 24/7.