Gum damage during filling?

[Sky]

had a filling done in April as my older filling was getting cracked. I had no pain or other issues in the tooth area. After the filling was done my mouth was numb that evening and I was in pain. From the next day onwards I was extremely sensitive to anything cold around that tooth. This went on for a couple of weeks and I went back to the dentist thinking something was wrong with my filling. And they told me it was gum erosion/damage. It’s been 2 months since then and the gum hasn’t healed though the pain isn’t as bad as it was in April.

I guess my question is, can the gums get damaged during the filling process? It’s suspicious to me that there was no gum damage the day I went to get the filling and a week later the damage was so bad that it still hasn’t healed? Trying to understand what happened and if I can trust the dentist or should I find another provider?

 

[Dr M]

Good day.
Just to clarify some of the terminology..what you have might either be enamel erosion or abrasion, or gum recession. Both of this could lead to sensitivity. This is also something that won't disappear with time. All that you can do is manage the symptoms. Try rubbing some Sensodyne toothpaste on the affected area for about 1 minute, and then don't rinse your mouth with water. This sometimes help to manage the symptoms. Also switch to a toothbrush that is soft. In severe cases you might also need a filling to cover the damaged areas.

It is important to keep in mind that the sensitivity could also be due to a defective filling or filling close to the nerve of the tooth. Impossible to give advice on this without more information like an x-ray.