{"id":67,"date":"2020-08-03T21:07:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T21:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/?p=67"},"modified":"2020-09-03T21:07:10","modified_gmt":"2020-09-03T21:07:10","slug":"should-you-visit-er-or-dentist-dental-emergency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/03\/should-you-visit-er-or-dentist-dental-emergency\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Visit the ER or a Dentist for a Dental Emergency?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/03\/should-you-visit-er-or-dentist-dental-emergency\/\" class=\"block-image-link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/man-mouth-pain-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"man holding face in pain due to dental emergency \" class=\"wp-image-68\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/man-mouth-pain-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/man-mouth-pain-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/man-mouth-pain-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/man-mouth-pain-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/man-mouth-pain-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though we think it\u2019ll never happen to us, a dental emergency can pop up at any time. Maybe you tripped and fell on the sidewalk, breaking off a piece of your tooth as you collided with the pavement. Maybe you\u2019re suffering through a toothache so intense that it\u2019s keeping you up at night. You might be unsure whether you should see your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/emergency-dentistry.html\">dentist<\/a> or head straight to the hospital to get this problem sorted. Keep reading to learn when you should go to the ER and when you should leave your care in the hands of dental professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Go to the Hospital<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In most cases, you should only go to the ER for a dental emergency if your situation is also life-threatening. Dental emergencies that require immediate medical care include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fractured jaw<\/li><li>Dislocated jaw<\/li><li>Serious cuts to the mouth or face<\/li><li>Infection resulting in swelling that impairs your ability to breathe or swallow<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Only in these extreme situations should you visit the ER instead of your dentist\u2019s office. For all other problems relating to your mouth, the dentist is the best person to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Seeing Your Dentist Should Be Your First Option<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a few reasons why you should leave a dental emergency in the hands of your dentist. For one, emergency room visits can be much more expensive than dental appointments. In addition, ER doctors are often unable to treat the root cause of the emergency, so they\u2019ll typically refer you to a dentist anyway. Cut out the middleman and save yourself time and money by just calling your dentist first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;Another reason is that in most states, it\u2019s actually illegal for someone who is not a dentist to perform dentistry. Most emergency rooms don\u2019t have a dentist on staff. Even a highly trained ER doctor isn\u2019t qualified to fill a cavity, extract a damaged tooth, or perform any kind of restorative dental care. At best, they might be able to prescribe antibiotics or pain medication, but they usually can\u2019t address the underlying cause of the emergency. Again, you\u2019ll save yourself time and money by contacting your dentist straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes a dental emergency can seem so serious that you might think your only option is to see an ER doctor. More often than not, though, you\u2019re much better off calling your dentist instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Tommy Murph has been a dentist in the Conway, SC community for more than 25 years. Since earning his doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina, he has completed more than 600 hours of continuing education courses in subjects like orthodontics and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/dental-implants.html\">dental implants<\/a>. His practice offers same-day appointments for dental emergencies, and is even open on Saturdays for added convenience. If you find yourself with a dental emergency, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/contact.html\">contact<\/a> Dr. Murph\u2019s office at (843) 488-4357.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Even though we think it\u2019ll never happen to us, a dental emergency can pop up at any time. Maybe you tripped and fell on the sidewalk, breaking off a piece of your tooth as you collided with the pavement. Maybe you\u2019re suffering through a toothache so intense that it\u2019s keeping you up at night. You might be unsure whether you should see your dentist or head straight to the hospital to get this problem sorted. [&hellip;] <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youramericandentalcare.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/03\/should-you-visit-er-or-dentist-dental-emergency\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dental Emergency | Toothache | Dr. Tommy Murph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When you have a dental emergency, such as a broken tooth, should you go to the hospital or your dentist\u2019s office? 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