A filling falls out for many reasons. The key to staying out of pain and lessening the damage that can occur from a filling falling out is to take care of the tooth and get into the dentist as soon as possible.

If it is at night, on the weekend, if you are on vacation, or just in between paychecks, make sure that as soon as you can get into the dentist that you do.

Sometimes getting into the dentist right away is not always practical and easy. You may have to wait for a variety of reasons. The replacement of the filling should be a very high priority. Because, if you wait, the tooth that was holding that filling may break, and then there will be more extensive dental repair work that would have to happen for the repair of the tooth.

It is a good idea to have some dental first aid kit available in the case that you cannot get to the dentist right away. You can make this kit yourself and just have it around the house, or if you go on a trip or camping, take it with you, in case of an emergency or filling falling out. Here is what should be in that emergency kit.

Soft dental or orthodontic wax
Dental floss
Tempanol or Cavit, which is a temporary filling material
Olive of cloves (eugenol)
Cotton pellets
Small tweezers
Rubber gloves
Bottle of water
Small bottle of antiseptic mouthwash

With these items, in the case that a filling falls out and you cannot get to the dentist right away, you will be able to temporarily resolve the open hole. The air or particles of food and saliva that may go into the hole are the problems that would cause more pain. This way the pain will also be minimal. It is also a good idea to have a little pain reliever, just over the counter stuff around to help with the pain.

Remember to wear gloves and try to keep the area as clean as possible around your mouth. A good mouth rinse is good for cleaning out the mouth before trying to fix the hole. Softly brush the teeth around the broken tooth, and then rinse with warm water and salt.

Now it is ok to use a small amount of the Tempanol or Cavit, as a temporary filling. Simply place a small amount of the filling material into the hole in the tooth. Use something flat like a dental tool, Popsicle tooth, or something similar to pack the filling material into the tooth. Bite down on the material to try to pack it in.
Now try to remove any access of the material so not to irritate the other teeth or gums. Let this completely dry before you eat or drink anything.

The soft wax can also be used in a similar manner. However this may not be a solution for more than a very short amount of time.

Once you have completed this, you may be able to wait a couple days to get into your dentist and at least have a temporary filling put in. However, keep in mind that a temporary filling is just that, temporary. Be sure to make an appointment with your dentist to get in for a complete repair as soon as you can.