After a Filling: What Is Normal and What Is Not
After a filling, numbness usually wears off over a few hours. Some sensitivity is common, and the tooth may feel different when you bite. UK leaflets differ on how long sensitivity is likely to last, from a couple of days to a few weeks. Contact the dentist who placed the filling if sensitivity persists or gets worse, the tooth hurts when you bite, or painkillers do not stop toothache.
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Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, reviewed this page. He is a General Dental Practitioner, GDC 301711.
What should you do while you are numb after a filling?
Until full feeling comes back, avoid eating on the numb side and avoid hot drinks, Bristol Dental School's guide to white fillings advises.
Bristol Dental School's white fillings guide says numbness can last several hours, and its amalgam guide says that, if anaesthetic was used, you should be careful with extremely hot and cold drinks for at least 2 hours.
Cork University Dental School's leaflets say a child must not chew the inside of their lips or cheeks or bite their tongue while numb, and should avoid hot drinks. Accidentally biting a numb lip, cheek or tongue is known as soft tissue trauma. Cork's local anaesthesia leaflet says the numbness gradually wears off over the next few hours.
If injections worry you, our page on care for anxious patients explains the practice's approach.
When can you eat and drink after a filling?
Wait until the local anaesthetic has worn off before eating on that side, Bristol Dental School's white fillings guide advises. After that, follow any advice from the dentist who placed the filling.
Bristol Dental School's amalgam guide says that, ideally, you should wait 24 hours before biting on an amalgam filling, because it can take this long to fully harden. How the two materials differ is set out in white fillings and amalgam compared.
Is sensitivity normal after a filling?
Yes. Cork University Dental School's white fillings leaflet says sensitivity after fillings (post-operative sensitivity) is common and usually settles, but sometimes it might need further treatment.
The AAE, a US dental association, says it is possible that recent dental work has inflamed the pulp, the living tissue inside the tooth, causing temporary sensitivity to hot or cold. It adds that lingering pain, typically lasting more than 30 seconds, after eating hot or cold foods means it is likely the pulp has been irreversibly damaged by deep decay or physical trauma; its advice is to see your dentist as soon as possible.
In a trial of 115 adults having composite fillings in private dental practice (Campbell and colleagues, 2017), sensitivity decreased throughout the first month and was linked to how sensitive the tooth was before treatment.
Large fillings carry a further risk. Cork University Dental School's leaflets say that with large fillings there is a risk that the nerve may die, and the tooth may then need root canal treatment or extraction later on.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
What if your filling feels high when you bite?
If a filling feels high, uncomfortable or painful, contact the dentist who placed it.
A filling is shaped to your bite when it is placed: Cork University Dental School's white fillings leaflet says adjustments are made to suit your bite. A filling that feels high is one that seems to meet the opposite tooth before the others (a high occlusal contact). Bristol Dental School's amalgam guide says a new amalgam filling might feel unusual in the mouth, and to make an appointment if it feels uncomfortable or painful.
If biting hurts, show it to a dentist; our guide to pain after a filling explains the possible causes.
How long should symptoms last after a filling?
Sources give different time frames for post-operative sensitivity, and for a tooth that feels different to bite on:
- Sensitivity after an amalgam filling: likely to subside after a couple of days; make an appointment if the filling feels uncomfortable or painful (Bristol Dental School).
- Sensitivity after a composite filling: should not last more than 2 weeks; if it persists, discuss it with the dental professional who placed the filling (Bristol Dental School).
- Sensitivity following placement of a filling: should normally resolve within a few weeks; contact the clinic that placed the filling if it has not subsided within 4 weeks (Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust).
- Sensitivity to hot or cold foods after dental treatment: wait two to four weeks, and if the pain persists or worsens, have your dentist check for a more serious problem (the AAE).
- After fillings, if teeth are sensitive or feel different to bite on: contact your dentist if this has not settled down in a few weeks; however, if the tooth becomes very painful and pain-relieving medicine does not help, seek dental advice (NHS Western Isles).
When should you contact a dentist after a filling?
Contact the dentist who placed the filling if sensitivity persists or gets worse, the tooth hurts when you bite, or painkillers do not stop toothache.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust says that if the decay was very deep and close to the nerve, toothache after a filling may mean the tooth is no longer healthy and may need further treatment. NHS toothache guidance says:
- See a dentist if toothache lasts more than 2 days, does not go away when you take painkillers, comes with a high temperature, pain when you bite, red gums or a bad taste in your mouth, or your cheek or jaw is swollen. Do not go to a GP, as they cannot give dental treatment.
- If you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, call 111 or visit 111 online.
- Go to A&E if you have toothache and the area around your eye or your neck is swollen, or swelling in your mouth or neck is making it difficult to breathe, swallow or speak. Do not drive to A&E: ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance. Bring any medicines you take with you.
Our urgent dental care pages explain how to reach the practice with an urgent problem.
What else does restorative aftercare cover?
Recovery after crowns and root canal treatment is covered among the options in this section. Fillings are one way of repairing and rebuilding damaged teeth, saving natural teeth rather than replacing them with implants, and our page on white fillings explains how long they last.
Frequently asked questions
Can you brush your teeth normally after a filling?
Yes. An NHS Western Isles leaflet says to brush your teeth as normal after fillings. To care for fillings, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust advises brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, spitting rather than rinsing, cleaning between your teeth with floss or an interdental brush, and keeping sugary and acidic food and drink to mealtimes.
Does aftercare cover apply to fillings at Deepcar Dental Care?
Yes. Fillings placed at Deepcar Dental Care come with 12-month aftercare cover, and so do dentures, crowns and bridges, and porcelain veneers. The cover does not apply to damage resulting from accidental trauma or infection, and gum recession is also excluded for dentures.
Is it normal for a child to feel sensitivity after a filling?
It can be. Cork University Dental School's leaflet on children's fillings says a child may feel some sensitivity on biting, or slight sensitivity to hot or cold, for a short period after the filling. If the sensitivity persists or gets worse, contact the dentist who placed the filling.
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We look after patients from Deepcar, Stocksbridge and Oughtibridge, and from across north Sheffield, including Wadsley, Hillsborough and Fulwood. Many travel further, from Penistone, Barnsley and Rotherham. The practice is on the A6102 at 334 Manchester Road, and no referral is needed.
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