Dental Emergencies- Should You Go To The Dentist Or The Hospital?
Your dentist is the healthcare professional who takes care of your oral care
. But you may wonder, if you find yourself with a dental emergency at hand should you head to the hospital or should you call your dentist and request to see him right away?
Dental emergencies can happen at any time and are not something that we can predict or prepare ourselves for. They are a type of medical emergency like any other but each one is unique and requires a different kind of care. Where you should seek out treatment for a dental emergency is dependent upon the kind of emergency that you are faced with.
Go to the Hospital
You should make your way to the hospital if the trauma or emergency has caused injury or damage to your mouth and your face. In other words if it is not strictly an issue with your teeth then you need immediate medical help that you can only obtain at the closest emergency room.
The types of emergencies that should be treated by a doctor at the hospital include jaw dislocations, jaw fractures or major lacerations of the soft tissues that make up the face and the mouth. If you have developed an abscess or infection that is swollen and painful then you need to make a trip to the ER right away or call 911 and ask for Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
In some instances an infection of the face or mouth or an abscess can affect breathing or the ability to swallow. If you are immunocompromised then this can be even more of a worry and should necessitate immediate attention from medical personnel. These health issues are serious and can threaten your life which is why they must be attended to without delay.
Go to the Dentist
There are other dental emergencies that are not as serious and while they still may require quick care and treatment, they can be dealt with by your dentist and not by a physician on call at the hospital.
If you break or crack a tooth then you need to call your dentist right away. If you get a tooth knocked out (an avulsed tooth) then you need to visit your dental provider for treatment. If you have an abscessed tooth or a tooth that has decay in it and it is causing you discomfort but not affecting your swallowing or breathing then it requires dental intervention.
If any of these circumstances befall you then your dental practitioner should be the healthcare professional that you contact. Hospitals do not have the equipment on hand to treat those individuals who require tooth restoration or other types of specific dental treatments. You should not wait to get the help you need but you need to find it in the dental chair and not the nearest hospital.
Dental emergencies often do not occur during regular business hours when your dental professional is available to see. Many dental practitioners offer some form of after hour's emergency care or a practitioner that is on call. Find out from your dental provider what provisions the office has made in the event of unforeseen dental issues that occur when the office is not open.
by: Abigail Aaronson
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