Emergency Dentist or Urgent Care or ER? Where to Go

Should I go to a dentist, urgent care or the ER?

Call your dentist first. Cleveland Clinic says that in a dental emergency, the first thing to do is call your dentist for instructions. If you do not have a dentist, it says to go to an urgent care center or your nearest emergency room. Go straight to the emergency room, or call 911, for the danger signs below.

The American Dental Association (ADA) says that when you have a dental emergency, it is important to visit your dentist or an emergency room as soon as possible. When you call, give as much detail as you can about your condition.

What counts as a dental emergency?

Cleveland Clinic defines a dental emergency as any dental problem that requires immediate attention. It adds that not all dental problems are emergencies. It says you need emergency care if you have bleeding that will not stop, pain that does not get better with medication, or broken facial bones.

Some problems can wait for office hours. Cleveland Clinic lists a dull or mild toothache, a small chip or crack, broken braces, an object stuck between teeth and a minor soft tissue injury as things that can wait for regular business hours, though you should still see your dentist soon. If you have severe bleeding or pain, it says to see a dental or healthcare provider right away.

Where should I go for each problem?

Use this table as a starting point. It does not replace your own judgment or a medical professional’s advice.

The first three rows come from Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. Cleveland Clinic lists 911 or the emergency room for difficulty breathing or swallowing and for swelling around the neck or under the jaw. Mayo Clinic says to go to the emergency room with a fever and facial swelling if you cannot reach your dentist.

Which signs of infection cannot wait?

A dental abscess is a pocket of pus from an infected tooth. Cleveland Clinic says to head to the nearest emergency room if you have a tooth abscess along with a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, confusion, difficulty swallowing, an elevated heart rate or facial swelling.

A plain toothache is different, but it still needs a dentist. Cleveland Clinic says unbearable tooth pain along with fever and chills means you are having a dental emergency, and to call a dentist or go to your nearest emergency room right away. Read more in toothache at night.

Who treats the tooth itself?

For most dental emergencies, the dentist is the right place. Cleveland Clinic says that for most dental emergencies, like a broken or knocked-out tooth, your dentist will treat you in their office. If you go to an emergency room for a serious problem, follow up with your dentist afterward so the tooth itself gets care.

Read our posts on a knocked-out tooth and on a swollen face and tooth abscess for the steps in those two cases.

What about urgent care?

Cleveland Clinic lists an urgent care center as an option when you do not have a dentist. We could not confirm from the sources we opened what a given urgent care center can do for a tooth. Call ahead and ask if they treat dental problems, and what they can do. Your own dentist can follow up on the tooth.

When is Town Center Dental open?

Town Center Dental is open Monday to Wednesday from 8am to 5pm and Thursday from 8am to 4pm. The office is closed Friday to Sunday. Call (636) 273-5866 during office hours, describe the problem, and ask what to do next.

If your problem starts when the office is closed, such as on a Friday evening or over a weekend, do not wait if you have any danger sign. Go to an emergency room, or call 911. Read dental emergency on a weekend in west St. Louis County for more local guidance, and see our dental emergency guide.

How can I prepare before an emergency?

A little planning helps. Save your dentist’s number in your phone, and know where your nearest emergency room is. Keep a small container for a knocked-out tooth and a list of your medicines. The ADA also advises wearing a mouthguard for sports and avoiding chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, which can crack a tooth. Use scissors, never your teeth, to cut things.

What should I have ready when I call?

Have this ready:

1. Your name and your child’s name, if the patient is a child.
2. What happened, when it happened and whether there was an injury.
3. Your symptoms: pain level, swelling, fever, bleeding.
4. Any medicines you take, and any allergies.
5. Your insurance information.

What if I am not sure it is an emergency?

Call the office and describe what is happening. That is the first step Cleveland Clinic and the ADA both give. A person at the office can ask follow-up questions and tell you whether to come in, wait for an appointment or go to an emergency room.

If the office is closed and you are worried, use the table above. Any danger sign means the emergency room. If you only have mild pain and no swelling or fever, comfort steps and a call when the office opens are a reasonable plan. Cleveland Clinic still says that severe pain or bleeding needs a provider right away.

Next step

Save the office number in your phone before you need it: (636) 273-5866. Read about emergency dentistry at Town Center Dental, then call during open hours or request an appointment.