What Foods Are Most Likely to Make a Filling Come Out?
By Peter Scerbo | Published on October 13, 2010 | 0 Comments
Perfectly good fillings can suddenly come out for all types of reasons, and Dr. Peter Scerbo of the Florida Smiles Dental office in Fort Lauderdale, FL, says that just because a filling comes out does not necessarily mean that it was put in incorrectly by the dentist. Rather, there are countless reasons why an otherwise good filling could suddenly come out and start causing a person problems.
Although Dr. Scerbo says that there are all sorts of reasons why a filling could start pulling away from the tooth, the most likely culprit is almost always food. Certain foods have the tendency to make fillings pop out, and people would be well advised to steer clear of these products if they hope to keep their dental work in good condition.
Among the worst food offenders are hard foods like popcorn kernels and ice. Both of these items can easily cause a filling to come out, and Dr. Scerbo says that ice is one of the worst things that a person with any type of dental work could chew on.
Foods that are at extremely hot or cold can also cause problems with dental work. According to Dr. Scerbo, eating foods that are very cold—like ice cream—followed by foods that are very hot—like hot chocolate or coffee—can be a bad combination for many.
The problem with eating hot and cold foods is that the varying temperatures will cause the teeth to expand and contract. When a person eats ice cream, his teeth will contract, and then when he has hot coffee, those contracted teeth will try to expand. As Dr. Scerbo explains, this rapid temperature differentiation is what could potentially cause a filling to come out.
Of course, Dr. Scbero emphasizes that people need to realize that fillings are not made to last forever. No matter how well the filling was originally put in at the dentist’s office, there is a good chance that the patient in question is going to have to come back at some point and have that filling replaced.
Continuous chewing and grinding can also take its toll over time, causing fillings to ultimately wear out. However, the fact that a filling has worn out and needs to be replaced does not mean that anything is technically wrong with it or that it was not put in properly to begin with, which is something important that patients need to understand.
If a filling does come out unexpectedly, then it’s important to see a dentist right away. Waiting too long to have a filling fixed can result in the tooth fracturing, and what would have originally been the replacement of a filling can end up turning into a much more expensive procedure. Although Dr. Scerbo does not consider the act of losing a filling to be an absolute dental emergency, he still insists that it’s not something that patients ought to ignore.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.