We advise you to wait two to four hours after your treatment before eating or drinking. The big reason for this is because that’s how long it takes for the local anaesthetic to wear off. When patients eat or drink while their mouth is still numb, they may accidentally bite the soft tissues of the mouth, or scald their mouth and tongue from food or drink that’s too hot. The other reason we ask you to wait to eat or drink is to allow the fillings and cement to set.