Tooth knocked out, or in serious pain right now?
Take a breath, then call us first. Most dental emergencies, like a broken or knocked-out tooth, are treated by your dentist, not the ER. Strobel Family Dental keeps same-day emergency care in Rexburg, right beside Madison Memorial Hospital. If your tooth is the problem, we fix what the ER cannot.
A dental emergency is scary, especially when you are not sure where to go. We sit at 59 Professional Plaza, steps from the hospital ER. For most tooth problems, calling the dentist saves you time and money. For true medical danger, the ER is right next door.
Should I go to the ER or the dentist for a dental emergency?
For most dental emergencies, the dentist is the right call. The Cleveland Clinic notes that dentists treat problems like a broken or knocked-out tooth in the office. The ER can ease pain and treat infection, but it cannot repair the tooth. Call us first and we will tell you exactly where to go.
Some situations are medical emergencies, not just dental ones. Go straight to the ER or call 911 for the warning signs below.
- Swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing.
- Bleeding that will not stop after steady pressure.
- A possible broken jaw or major facial injury.
- Trauma from an accident with other injuries.
These signs can be serious, so do not try to wait them out. The hospital ER sits right beside our office for exactly these cases. For everything else that involves the tooth itself, call us. We will get you in fast and treat the cause.
What can the ER actually do for a tooth?
The ER manages symptoms, not the tooth itself. The staff there are doctors and nurses, not dentists. They can give you pain medicine and antibiotics for an infection. They can check for a fracture, but they do not perform dental treatment.
That means a trip to the ER often ends with a referral back to a dentist. You pay for the visit, then still need the actual repair. We can treat or remove the tooth the same day in most cases. For tooth problems, the dentist is usually faster and less costly.
What should I do if a tooth gets knocked out?
Act fast, because minutes matter most here. Delta Dental notes the best window is within 30 minutes, with a chance up to an hour. Pick the tooth up by the crown, never by the root. Then call our emergency dental care line right away.
A few simple steps protect the tooth on the way in. Handle it gently and keep it moist.
- Rinse it with water only if it is dirty.
- Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue.
- Keep it moist in milk, or tuck it in your cheek.
- Come straight to our office, or the nearest dentist.
The sooner we see the tooth, the better the odds of saving it. Bring it with you exactly as described above. Do not let it dry out on the way. Quick action is the difference between saving and losing it.
What counts as a dental emergency, and what can wait?
A dental emergency is any tooth problem that needs urgent care. That includes severe pain, swelling, or a tooth that is broken or knocked out. It also covers a lost crown or filling that leaves you in pain. Most cases come down to injury, infection, or a problem after a procedure.
Some issues can wait a day, but many should not. A small chip with no pain can hold until office hours. A broken tooth often needs a dental crown to protect what is left. Throbbing pain, swelling, or bleeding should not wait, so call us and we will help you decide.
Is a tooth infection a dental emergency?
Often, yes. A tooth infection can spread when you leave it untreated. Watch for swelling, fever, a bad taste, or pain that keeps growing. Call us quickly, because these infections rarely clear on their own.
Antibiotics from a clinic or ER can calm an infection for a while. They do not remove the source inside the tooth. We treat the actual cause, with a root canal or removal. If swelling spreads toward your eye or throat, or breathing gets hard, treat it as an ER emergency.