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Dental and Oral Health Center

Pain 10 Days After Filling

02/12/2010

Question:

Hello,

I had a filling 10 days ago on a lower back tooth. The tooth was quite sore for a couple of days. Now I no longer feel pain except a very sharp pain whenever I try to chew food on it which means that I cannot eat on this side of the mouth. Should I wait for it to improve or go back to the dentist?

Many thanks for any advice!

Answer:

As long as the discomfort/soreness does not get worse and you do not experience constant (hours at a time) or nocturnal (wakes you up during sleep) pain, you can give the tooth more time to see if it will quiet down.  When you tap your teeth together without any food in you mouth, there should be no discomfort.  Your tooth may end up needing a root canal.  Cold sensitivity should only last less than 10 seconds after swallowing (cold drinks and cold food) or closing your mouth (cold air).

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Response by:

David Lee Hall, DDS David Lee Hall, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor of Primary Care
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University