After Your Dental Filling
Simple advice on what to expect after a filling, including sensitivity, fixing your bite, and when to call your dental team.
Urgent help: who to contact
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, or if swelling spreads to your neck, under your tongue or around your eye.
Contact your dental team if you have severe pain that is not settling after 3 days, the filling falls out or breaks, your bite feels very uneven, or you get swelling. If you cannot reach them, call NHS 111.
Straight After Your Appointment
A filling is one of the most common dental treatments. Recovery is usually simple.
- Numbness: if you had a numbing injection (local anaesthetic), your mouth will feel numb for 1–3 hours. Take care not to bite your cheek, lip or tongue while you cannot feel properly.
- Children: watch them until the numbness wears off. They may bite, chew or suck their numb lip, cheek or tongue without noticing. This can cause a painful sore. Do not give them food or chewing gum until normal feeling has returned.
- Do not eat until the numbness has fully worn off. Hot drinks are a real risk while you are numb. You could burn yourself without noticing.
- White (composite) fillings are set hard by the end of your appointment. You can eat on them once the numbness has worn off. Avoid very hard foods for the rest of the day.
- Silver (amalgam) fillings are less common today. Do not chew on a new one for 24 hours, so it can fully set.
Sensitivity After a Filling: What Is Normal
It is very common for a tooth to feel sensitive after a filling. This affects about 1 in 3 people. It can last from a few days to a few weeks.
- Sensitivity to hot or cold is the most common. It usually settles on its own within 2–4 weeks.
- Sensitivity when biting is also normal for a few days. This is more likely if the filling is a little high (it catches on the tooth it bites against).
- A toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help, such as one with potassium nitrate. Use it twice a day. After brushing, rub a little onto the sensitive tooth and leave it there. Do not rinse.
- Your dental team should check sensitivity that is getting worse over several weeks. They should also check sensitivity that is there all the time, rather than set off by hot or cold.
If Your Bite Feels Uneven
Your bite may feel a little different after a filling. This is common and easy to fix.
- It is hard to judge your bite while your mouth is still numb. Give it a day or two to settle.
- After 2–3 days, the filling may still feel high or catch when you bite together. If so, contact your dental team for a simple bite adjustment. This takes only a few minutes. It often does not need an injection.
- Do not ignore a filling that stays high. Over time it can make your tooth and jaw joint sore.
Caring for Your Filling Long-Term
Fillings last a long time, but not forever. With good care, a white (composite) filling usually lasts 7–10 years. Here is how to make it last:
- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean between your teeth every day with floss or small brushes made for the gaps (interdental brushes).
- Do not bite very hard foods with the filled tooth, such as ice, hard sweets or crusty bread.
- If you grind your teeth at night, tell your dental team. A night guard can protect your teeth and any fillings or crowns.
- Go to regular check-ups so your dental team can check the filling.
When to Contact Your Dental Team
Contact your dental team if:
- The filling falls out or chips
- You have severe, constant toothache that painkillers do not control
- Severe pain that is not settling after 3 days, or sensitivity that is getting worse instead of better
- You see swelling around the tooth or in your face
- Your temperature is above 38°C
- Your bite still feels very uneven after 3 days
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, or if swelling spreads to your neck, under your tongue or around your eye. For other urgent problems, contact your dental practice. If it is closed, call NHS 111.
This leaflet is for general information only and does not replace professional dental advice. Your dental team will discuss your individual circumstances and any risks specific to you. Treatment outcomes vary between patients depending on individual circumstances.
Sources
- Dental treatments. NHS website (nhs.uk), reviewed July 2026.
- Different filling materials. Oral Health Foundation.
Links checked 18 October 2026.
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