ER or Emergency Dentist? How to Choose the Right Care

When your mouth is hurting or bleeding, it’s natural to think about heading to the nearest emergency room. Sometimes that’s exactly the right move. But for many dental problems, a hospital can only offer temporary relief, and you’ll still need to see a dentist afterward. Knowing the difference can save you time and get you the right treatment sooner.

Go to the ER or call 911 for these

Some symptoms can be dangerous and need hospital care right away:

• Swelling in the face, jaw or neck that makes it hard to breathe or swallow
• Swelling spreading toward the eye or down the neck
• A high fever with facial swelling, or feeling very unwell
• Bleeding from the mouth that won’t stop with firm pressure
• A possible broken jaw, or a serious injury to the face or head

Spreading infection can become serious quickly. If you have any of these signs, don’t wait for a dental appointment.

Call an emergency dentist for these

Most urgent dental problems are best handled by a dentist, who has the tools to treat the tooth itself:

• A severe toothache without trouble breathing or swallowing
• A cracked, chipped or broken tooth
• A tooth that has been knocked out or loosened
• A lost filling or crown
• A swollen gum or small abscess near one tooth, without fever or spreading swelling
• Pain from a wisdom tooth

For a knocked-out tooth, time matters a great deal. Read our steps to save a knocked-out tooth before you call.

Why the ER isn’t always the best fit for tooth problems

Hospital emergency departments are built for life-threatening emergencies. Most aren’t set up to do fillings, root canals or extractions. A doctor can check for serious infection, manage pain and may prescribe medication, then advise you to follow up with a dentist. That’s the right care when the situation is dangerous, but for a broken tooth or a toothache it can mean a long wait and a second visit.

When it’s hard to tell

Swelling is the symptom people find hardest to judge. A small, tender bump on the gum is usually a dental visit. Swelling that grows quickly, spreads across the face or comes with fever and difficulty swallowing is a hospital visit. Our article on how to recognize a dental abscess covers these warning signs in more detail.

If you’re ever unsure and the symptoms are getting worse, choose the ER. It’s better to be checked and sent to a dentist than to wait too long.

Dental injuries in children

Kids are especially prone to mouth injuries from falls, bikes and sports. The same rules apply: a head injury, loss of consciousness, a possible broken jaw or bleeding that won’t stop needs the ER. A chipped tooth, a loosened tooth or a knocked-out tooth without those warning signs should be seen by a dentist promptly. Keep in mind that a knocked-out baby tooth shouldn’t be put back in, while a knocked-out adult tooth should be handled as quickly as possible.

What to have ready either way

Whether you head to a hospital or a dental office, bring a list of medications and allergies, your insurance card, and any broken pieces of tooth stored in milk. Note when the problem started and what you’ve taken for pain. These details help whoever treats you act faster.

After an ER visit

If you were treated at a hospital for a dental problem, you’ll usually be told to see a dentist within a day or two. Take any medication exactly as prescribed and follow up promptly, even if you feel better, because the underlying tooth problem still needs treatment.

Finding dental care in Doral

For problems that need a dentist rather than a hospital, our referral line can help. Call and we’ll connect you with a participating dentist near Doral. See how it works on our Doral emergency dental care page.