Although no one ever wants to experience a dental emergency, it can potentially happen to anyone at any time. Whether you developed a toothache or lost a restoration, acting quickly can make a world of difference when it comes to saving your smile. However, depending on your condition, you might wonder whether it’s better to head to the nearest emergency room instead.
Continue reading to learn why it’s usually best to contact your dentist when you have an sudden oral issue!
What Is a Dental Emergency?
Knowing where to go for the right help ensures that you’ll get quick relief in urgent situations. Several types of problems warrant a same-day dental appointment to be addressed right away, including:
- A loose or dislodged permanent tooth.
- An abscess accompanied by fever, chills, or pus-like discharge.
- Severe trauma or lacerations of the mouth that cause heavy bleeding.
- Sudden or persistent toothaches.
Some patients experience non-urgent issues that need to be addressed sooner rather than later but don’t necessarily require immediate attention. You should call your dentist to schedule an appointment if you have:
- Lost or broken a dental bridge, crown, or implant.
- Decayed or damaged teeth that aren’t hurting.
- An injured retainer, night guard, or dentures.
- Mild sensitivity or discomfort.
Why Should I Call My Dentist First?
When something goes wrong, or you sustain a sudden injury, the best course of action is to head to the nearest emergency room. They have doctors, specialists, medications, and equipment to handle all sorts of problems and can offer multiple types of pain relief. Why wouldn’t you go there first for a dental concern, too?
The truth is that most urgent care centers and hospital ER’s don’t have dentists on staff, nor do they keep specialized instruments necessary to assess or handle your teeth and gums properly. For example, if you need an emergency root canal or extraction, they’d have to refer you to a dentist for treatment because they don’t have the right training or technology. That’s why it’s usually recommended that you call them first for oral concerns.
When Is It Best to Go to an ER?
There are some circumstances in which you should visit an ER to be stabilized before trying to have any dental work done, such as:
- You have a life-threatening injury or illness.
- You have persistent bleeding that increases or doesn’t stop.
- You’ve sustained injuries to your jaw or facial bones.
Understanding where to go to address your problem allows you to act quickly if you ever have a dental emergency!
About the Practice
At Valer Dental & Braces, you benefit from a team of specialists and general dentists who offer a full array of services from two convenient locations. They work together to create fully individualized treatment plans to meet the unique needs of patients of all ages. Then, they utilize state-of-the-art technology to enhance patient comfort while providing increasingly accurate results. They offer evening and weekend appointments, as well as same-day emergency visits, so that you don’t have to wait to get the help you need. If you’ve developed a toothache or other issue, you can contact the office on the website or call (505) 257-2000.