Get Out of Pain Tonight Without Paying for the Wrong Visit
Choosing the ER or dentist for tooth pain comes down to five warning signs and the cost of each visit. Dr. Dirk Strobel, DDS, trained at Creighton University School of Dentistry and has practiced in Rexburg for over 40 years. His son, Dr. Heber Strobel, DDS, trained at Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. Here you’ll see which signs mean the hospital, how the two bills compare, and how to get through tonight.
It’s late, your jaw is throbbing, and morning feels far away. You’re afraid of a long wait, a big bill, and a tooth that still hurts on the way home. Waiting has its own risk, because an infected tooth can stay active after the pain fades. We’ll tell you straight which choice fits tonight.
When should you go to the hospital instead of a dentist?
Go to the hospital if you have any of these five signs. Each one means the trouble has moved past the tooth, into your face, airway, or blood. Swelling near your eye or throat and trouble breathing top the list. Those need care tonight, not a dental visit tomorrow.
- Swelling that reaches your eye, your throat, or the floor of your mouth
- Trouble breathing or swallowing, or a voice that sounds muffled
- A fever climbing alongside swelling in your face or jaw
- Bleeding that won’t slow after fifteen minutes of steady pressure
- A jaw that won’t open or close, or a mouth injury from a wreck or a fall
Madison Memorial Hospital sits where Professional Plaza meets Main Street, close to our office on Professional Plaza. If none of these signs fit, the tooth belongs with a dentist. Our page on emergency dental care in Rexburg shows how a visit works. Still unsure? Call (208) 356-4400 and describe what you see in the mirror.
How often do people take tooth pain to the ER?
About 2 million times a year in the U.S., according to the American Dental Association. Those visits cost roughly 1.6 billion dollars a year, and Medicaid pays about a third. Most start as problems a dentist can prevent. In 2009, abscesses and cavities made up nearly 80 percent of dental ER visits.
The timing explains a lot. Tooth trouble builds for weeks, then flares at night or on a weekend when dental offices are closed. The ADA also reports people without insurance or on Medicaid lean on the ER more often. There’s no shame in that, and we’ll never judge anyone for it.
What the ER can offer is limited, though. The ADA describes most hospital dental care as palliative, which means it eases symptoms without treating the cause. ER doctors train for heart attacks, broken bones, and breathing trouble. Repairing a tooth is different work, so many visits end with a referral back to a dentist.
Source: Emergency Department Referrals, American Dental Association, Action for Dental Health, accessed October 8, 2026. The 2009 figure comes from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, as reported on the same page.
What does the ER cost compared with a dentist?
An ER visit for dental pain runs 400 to 1,500 dollars, per the American Dental Association. A dentist visit runs 90 to 200 dollars. On average, the ER costs about three times as much, at 749 dollars for patients who aren’t admitted. Your bill depends on your plan and what the visit finds.
| Hospital ER | Dental office | |
| Typical visit cost | 400 to 1,500 dollars, averaging 749 | 90 to 200 dollars |
| Kind of care, per the ADA | Palliative, eases symptoms | Treats the underlying problem |
| Usually billed to | Medical insurance | Dental insurance or self-pay |
| Follow-up with a dentist | Usually still needed | Handled in the same office |
Source: Emergency Department Referrals, American Dental Association, Action for Dental Health, accessed October 8, 2026. National averages. Costs vary by plan, hospital, and treatment.
Neither range covers the treatment the tooth still needs afterward. Plans and terms vary, so call your carrier if you’re unsure which policy pays. Our emergency dental cost page shows what a visit costs here in Rexburg.
What should you do until the dental office opens?
Call (208) 356-4400 when the office opens, and use these five steps to stay more comfortable tonight. None of them treat the tooth itself. Each one can ease the throbbing a little, and most of them are already in your kitchen.
- Rinse with warm salt water to soothe the sore gum around the tooth
- Prop your head up on pillows, since lying flat can make throbbing worse
- Hold a cold pack on your cheek for fifteen minutes at a time
- Chew on the other side and skip very hot or very cold drinks
- Write down when the pain started and what sets it off
For more comfort care, our guide to handling a severe toothache goes step by step. We’re open Saturday from 7AM to 1PM, so a Friday night toothache can get a call before Monday. From Rexburg, St. Anthony, or Island Park, the first step is the same.
Why do so many people end up back in the ER?
Many return because an ER visit eases dental pain without fixing the tooth. Calhoun County, Michigan began sending ER dental patients to local dentists. Over five years, ER visits for dental pain there fell 72 percent, and repeat visits nearly stopped, the ADA reports.
Maine tried its own version, pairing each ER dental patient’s prescription with a referral to a local clinic. Some hospitals saw dental pain visits drop by as much as 70 percent. Both states learned the same thing. The lasting fix happens in a dental office.
Source: Emergency Department Referrals, American Dental Association, Action for Dental Health, program case studies, accessed October 8, 2026.
What happens when you call a dentist first?
You describe what’s going on, and we tell you plainly whether it belongs with us or the hospital. About 7 in 10 emergency patients we see want to save the tooth at a fair cost. The other 3 in 10 want it out for less. Both are fair choices, and we explain the price of each first.
Getting you out of pain comes first. The longer plan can wait until you’re thinking clearly. About half of our new patients arrive anxious or after a hard visit somewhere else. So we go slowly and explain each step. Nobody gets pushed into a bigger plan while they’re hurting.
Some of our patients drive two to three hours each way to reach us. They want one office they trust for the whole family. We’d rather give you an honest answer by phone than see you spend the night in a waiting room.
Pain Relief First, Then a Plan That Fits Your Budget
Dr. Dirk Strobel, DDS, a Creighton University School of Dentistry graduate, has practiced in Rexburg for over 40 years. His son, Dr. Heber Strobel, DDS, trained at Louisiana State University School of Dentistry and focuses on repairing damaged teeth. As a father-son team, they tell emergency patients what’s urgent and what can wait. You leave knowing what’s wrong, what each option costs, and what comes next.
Call (208) 356-4400 and tell the front desk you’re in pain, or request an appointment at strobelfamilydental.com. Once the pain is under control, we’ll walk through your options together. Nothing beyond that first visit happens until you say yes.
What Else Do Rexburg Patients Ask About the ER and Tooth Pain?
Will the ER give me pain medication?
Most likely, yes. A national study of 2015 to 2017 data found three in four dental ER visits ended with a pain prescription. More than half of those visits included an opioid. Ask what you’re being handed and why, and speak up if you’d rather avoid opioids. The medicine eases pain for a while, but the tooth still needs a dentist.
Do antibiotics cure a tooth infection?
Usually not on their own. An antibiotic fights bacteria, but standard care for a tooth abscess adds a root canal or removal. The pain can fade while the infection stays active. That’s why a quiet tooth still needs an exam, and results vary with how far the infection has spread.
What can I take for severe tooth pain at night?
For most adults, ibuprofen paired with acetaminophen is the place to start. The ADA notes ibuprofen and acetaminophen taken together work well for dental pain. Its guidelines put drugs like ibuprofen ahead of opioids. Some conditions and daily medicines rule one out. Over 4,000 mg of acetaminophen a day has been linked to liver failure. Check with us or your pharmacist first.
Will the emergency room pull my tooth?
Usually not, because removing a tooth is dental work. When an abscessed tooth can’t be saved, a dentist pulls the tooth and drains the infection. Most dentists try to save it first. Removing and saving a tooth carry different costs over time, so ask for both prices before you choose.
