Can you go to the emergency room for a dental emergency?

Toothaches are never fun. And if you’ve ever experienced one — or suffered a sudden mouth injury — you likely remember that finding fast relief was pretty much all you could think about.

In the heat of the moment, most people consider heading to the nearest emergency room if their dental or oral surgery office is closed. But you may be surprised to learn that most emergency departments don’t have dentists on staff to offer the full range of dental health services. So, before you find yourself in that situation, it’s good to know what dental care nearby emergency rooms offer.

Your dentist should always be your first call

A dentist is the best person to treat a dental condition that isn’t life-threatening, and it’s always recommended that you consider a pediatric dentist if the dental emergency involves a child.

A good first step is to call your dentist or check their website. During normal business hours, your dentist’s office handles many dental emergencies, such as a knocked-out or infected tooth, and many practices have an emergency number for patients when their office is closed.

If your dentist doesn’t have an emergency number, or if you don’t have a regular dentist, go to an urgent care center or the nearest emergency department for serious injuries. It’s important to remember, though, that after you’re treated in an urgent or emergency setting, you’ll need to follow up with your dentist as soon as possible.

Other emergencies — including trauma to the face or excessive bleeding in the mouth — may be best treated by a provider trained in emergency care.

Dental procedures available in the emergency room

Since emergency rooms don’t have dental equipment, they don’t do complex dental procedures. Instead, dental care at an emergency room focuses on more urgent medical needs, such as stopping bleeding, providing immediate relief for severe pain or treating swelling that impacts your ability to breathe.

In the case of a true dental emergency, you need immediate care. If your dentist isn’t available and you can’t safely drive yourself to the nearest urgent care center or emergency department, call 911.

Trouble swallowing or breathing

If swelling in your mouth, face or neck blocks your airway, it can affect your ability to breathe or swallow. Some tooth infections can also quickly become dangerous if they cause severe swelling. Emergency room providers can offer antibiotics to reduce the swelling and prevent the infection from getting worse while you wait to see your dentist.

Facial trauma

If a fall or other accident causes a broken bone in your jaw or face, seek medical care right away. Treatment by an emergency physician is best when you:

• Can’t open your mouth or move your jaw
• Have changes in vision or severe pain around your eyes
• Have severe bleeding from a cut or other injury to your lips, mouth or nose
• Suffer head or neck trauma

Oral and facial surgeons perform dental procedures to treat a range of issues like:

• Adding and repairing dental implants
• Caring for face and mouth fractures and other injuries
• Extracting teeth
• Treating cysts, tumors and other diseases of the mouth, jaw and neck

Along with emergency room staff, these surgeons can stitch deep cuts and take X-rays to check for bone fractures.

Signs of a severe dental infection

According to Dr. David R. Montgomery, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with HCA Florida Healthcare in Ocala, FL, constant or throbbing pain in your mouth could be a warning sign of a tooth infection — also known as an abscess. These infections occur when bacteria invade the tooth or gum tissue, forming a pocket of pus. The result? Intense pain, swelling, and even fever. If left untreated, the infection can spread beyond your mouth and affect other parts of your body, making early treatment essential.

Some emergency rooms are equipped to drain an abscessed tooth. But even if they can’t drain it, it’s important to get antibiotics for toothache infection as soon as possible. The emergency department can provide antibiotics for a tooth infection or pain medication as a toothache remedy.

Knocked-out teeth

A completely knocked-out tooth can result from an assault, an accident or a sports injury. These incidents can also cause a loose tooth to change positions in your mouth. Either way, getting emergency dental care is the best chance to save the tooth.

If a knocked-out tooth is replanted in your mouth within an hour of the injury, you have a chance of saving your original tooth. If not, you’ll likely need a fake tooth called an implant.

For a tooth that has moved in your mouth, try to get dental care within the next few hours. Getting the tooth repositioned quickly can help your recovery.

Severe mouth pain or bleeding

Some toothaches are extremely painful. If over-the-counter pain medicine isn’t working and your dentist’s office is closed, consider visiting an urgent care center for a prescription medication to treat severe pain. In addition, they may be able to numb the problem area until you can see your dentist.

Also, if your mouth or gums are bleeding and won’t stop with pressure, you may need emergency care.

Dental procedures not available in the emergency room

Most other dental problems can wait until you can see your regular dentist. Many dental offices keep an appointment open or have after-hours for emergencies, so they may be able to see you that day. A visit to an emergency department will cost more — sometimes a lot more — than a visit to your dentist.

Since most urgent care centers and emergency rooms don’t have specialized tools and dental equipment, they can’t offer these types of dental services:

• Fixing a broken tooth or crown
• Performing dental fillings or root canals
• Pulling teeth (called an extraction)
• Repairing braces or retainers

Dental care from an emergency dentist

Some communities have an emergency dentist who can treat the full range of dental health problems at any hour of the day or night. These practices usually offer:

• Draining and treating an abscess
• Extracting teeth
• Performing root canals and filling cavities
• Prescribing medication for pain and infection
• Replanting knocked-out teeth

Seek long-term care from a dentist

If you get emergency care, that relief will be temporary. You’ll need to follow up quickly with a dentist or oral surgeon to fix the problem or find a long-term solution. For less serious dental care, such as a chipped tooth, mild toothache, or lost crown or bridge, it’s best to get the soonest appointment at a regular dental care office.