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Is it normal to have tooth pain and sensitivity after a filling?

I got 3 cavities filled yesterday. Whenever I drink cold water or anything cold my teeth are really sensitive. It kind of hurts. The cavities were causing sensitivity but I wasn’t expecting to feel this. Will the fillings need to be redone? Kourtnee

Kourtnee – It’s normal to experience sensitivity after you have cavities filled. For the first 24 to 40 hours after getting the filling, you should avoid stick or hard foods that can irritate the teeth that were filled or that can cause the fillings to come out.

Nerves in your teeth are sensitive—particularly after having decay removed and replaced with filling. Deep decay close to a nerve can cause you to feel more sensitivity than normal. The sensitivity should gradually go away. It can take up to four weeks for you to feel no sensitivity at all. Amalgam (silver) fillings contain metal and more readily transfer heat and cold to your teeth than composite fillings.

If you feel pain when chewing food, it’s possible that there is a problem with the filling. It may be too high and interfering with your bite (the way your teeth fit together). In the next two or three days, if it feels as if your teeth aren’t closing together correctly in the areas of the fillings, contact your dentist.

Tooth Sensitivity Without a Recent Filling

People who haven’t recently received fillings can also experience sensitivity in their teeth. This can be due to:

  • decay
  • damaged tooth pulp, which contains tooth nerves
  • a tooth infection
  • receding gums due to age, hormonal changes, or periodontal disease
  • aggressive tooth brushing
  • trauma to a tooth
  • teeth bleaching gel

If you are experiencing sensitivity and haven’t had a cavity filled recently, contact your dentist. The cause of the sensitivity will be identified, and the appropriate treatment will be recommended.

Damaged tooth pulp will require a root canal treatment. Exposed tooth roots may benefit from toothpaste for sensitive teeth, fluoride treatment, or a gum graft. Sensitivity from bleaching gel may require using a gel that is not as strong.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.