You’re getting a cavity filling in Mill Creek. You’re all prepared going in, but now you need to make sure you’re prepared for afterward. You want this filling to last so you don’t have problems in the future with it.

There are a few things you shouldn’t do after a filling. This will help the filling set fully and protect your mouth from damage while the numbing agent wears off. Here’s everything to watch out for after the trip to the dentist.

Don’t Chew When the Mouth Is Still Numb

Chances are you’re not in the mood for food after a filling. However, you may have a habit of chewing gum throughout the day. You want to avoid all types of chewing while your mouth is still numb.

Things will feel much larger and swollen than they really are. You’ll also not know if you have caught part of your mouth while it’s numb. People tend to bite their lip or their cheek. You don’t feel it at first, but it can be painful afterward, and in some cases, the damage can be quite severe.

Don’t Bit Down Too Hard

You need to bite down to be able to chew eventually. However, you need to watch out by the amount you do bite down. You shouldn’t bite down hard after a cavity filling in Mill Creek. To be fair, you want to avoid biting down hard at all times.

Your filling can only handle so much pressure. Depending on the type of filling it is, you could cause it to chip away or come loose. This will require you to go back to the dentist for more work.

Don’t Grind After Cavity Filling in Mill Creek

Teeth grinding is a very common thing. It’s also something that can damage the teeth whether you’ve had a filling or not. If you know that you grind your teeth, you want to take steps to stop it now.

Some people will grind in the night. In this case, you’ll need a mouthguard to protect your teeth from the damage.

This is especially more important after having a filling. The filling will weaken the tooth, and it can lead to more damage being done than without the filling. You can also end up suffering from the need for more fillings in the future because of the way the enamel wears away.

Don’t Skip Out on the Brushing

Finally, you’ll want to make sure you care for your teeth after your cavity filling in Mill Creek. This is something you’ll want to do regardless, but you may get back into old habits after having a cavity filled. After all, you don’t get as much pain as you used to.

Your tooth around the cavity is weaker than the other teeth in your mouth. There is a chance of that cavity being a problem again, including underneath it. You don’t want to need extra work in the future.

Protect your teeth at all cost. You only get one set. Once you have a cavity filling in Mill Creek, take steps to prevent your teeth from getting worse.