Should I go to the ER for tooth pain?

A toothache is unlike most other sources of pain that we experience in daily life. If you’ve sprained an ankle, pulled a muscle, twisted your back or any of the other small issues that we deal with (and get worse with age apparently), sometimes we can just avoid that movement, or put weight on the leg or try other things to temporarily remove the pain.

But tooth pain can be all pervasive: It prevents you focusing, sleeping, and it hurts when you drink or eat. It disrupts life. Which is why when it happens to you, what you really need is a fast way to find relief from the problem.

That leaves you with a few options, but if things really do become unbearable, can you go to the ER for tooth pain? Yes, you can. However, an emergency room in a hospital is unlikely to be able to treat the majority of toothaches unless it is affecting your overall health.  They usually don’t have the necessary equipment.

Go to the ER if you are experiencing any of the following:

• If you are experiencing high temperatures over 101 degrees in addition to your toothache.
• If your face is swelling from toothache, especially around the eye or below the jawline.
• You are beginning to have trouble swallowing.
• You are struggling to breathe.
• You have taken antibiotics for 24 hours and the problem is getting worse.
• Your dental issues are the result of facial trauma.
• Any issue where you feel your greater health is imminently in danger.

And if you compare wait times at an emergency dental office appointment, it can really affect your decision where to go.

If you have tooth pain without these more severe symptoms, you can still get help. Here are some alternatives to the emergency room.