For the average person, the situation has to be fairly severe before they ever think about going to their local emergency room. This is not only because of the high costs that are associated with an emergency room visit, but also because of the long waits and a general fear of the doctor. But you know if you break a bone, or become severely sick without much warning, that you need to visit the emergency room. But do you know when you should visit the emergency dentist?
What Is an Emergency Dentist?
While we all know what an emergency room is, most of us don’t know what an emergency dentist is, or what they are there for. An emergency dentist can be different from your typical emergency room, because, most often, the dentist is actually not on the property twenty-four hours a day. In your local emergency room, a doctor is actually required to be in residence at all times. At an emergency dentist’s office, however, they are not. Most emergency dentists’ offices have dentists who are on-call, and who will come in when needed. That’s why you may want to call your emergency dentist’s office first before you visit, for while some do have dentists on call, many do not.
When to Visit
So when do you visit an emergency dentist, and what type of situation can wait for your dental practice to open? Most tooth situations are things that are long-term and can wait for your dentist’s office to open, but some situations do require emergent care. How do you know the difference? In general, if it’s something that is giving you a great amount of pain suddenly, not something that is slowly coming on, then you should try to get into immediate care. For instance, most of the time a cavity is not something that requires emergency care. Most cavities are picked up during a routine visit to the dentist, which is why it is recommended that you visit once every six months at the very least. Sometimes, however, a cavity will become severe, and the tooth will abscess. If this occurs then you may need to see an emergency dentist in order to get pain relievers and antibiotics that will help to dull the pain until you can book an appointment with your regular dentist.
When dealing with periodontal disease, you may find that the same type of emergent situation occurs, but most often the situation can be dealt with by making regular appointments with your dentist. If, however, you have a tooth that suddenly falls out, due to disease, or that is knocked out by accident, then you should definitely seek emergency care. Many times the difference between saving the tooth, and not saving it, is whether the person sought out emergency care or not. When in doubt, it is always a good idea to call your local emergency dentist, for while the bill may be a bit steeper, it can help you avoid being in a great deal of pain, and it may even save your tooth.
About the Author: Denver Smith has extensive experience in the dental field and actively consults in this industry
