While there’s not really a good time to deal with a dental emergency, there are plenty of instances where you could deal with one quickly and without much fuss. As a general rule, the closer you are to a dentist that you know and trust, the better off you are.
The opposite is also true—the further you are from home, the harder it may be to find someone who can deal with a dental emergency. If you’re in the U.S. for work or vacation and suddenly need to handle a toothache, you may be at a loss for what to do. Here’s how you can find a dentist to help you.
Emergency Dentistry in the U.S.
Typically, most dentists in the U.S. are willing to see patients for same-day emergency appointments, even if you don’t have any previous history with them. Getting one of these appointments is as simple as calling up a local dental practice and telling them the situation you’re dealing with.
How to Find an Emergency Dentist
While most dentists are more than happy to accept emergency appointments, you may still not necessarily know how to find someone that you can trust with your teeth.
In most cases, the closest dentist is the best option. This is especially true if you’ve lost a tooth—the faster you can get to a dental office, the higher the likelihood that you can save the tooth.
However, living overseas means that paying for dental care may be a little bit of a thorny issue. If you have travel insurance, you may want to visit their website and see if they have a directory of in-network dentists who may be able to help you.
Do You Need to Go to an Emergency Room?
In the U.S., the emergency room is the part of a hospital devoted to urgent care. Unlike dentists, they don’t have the tools necessary to address dental emergencies, which means that this usually isn’t the best place to go if you’re dealing with a toothache.
The only time you should go to the emergency room is if the issue you’re dealing with is both pressing and extremely severe, e.g. your jaw has been broken, you have large cuts across your mouth, or if swelling is making it hard to breathe.
About Our Practice
At RP Dental & Implants, we know that dental emergencies and tooth loss can have a serious effect on your life. That’s why we have spent a lot of time figuring out how best to help patients get back the bite that they may have lost along with their teeth. Over the years we have managed to help countless patients improve their oral health, and we’re excited at the prospect of being able to do the same for you.
If you have any questions about dental emergencies, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (352) 750-0008.