As you go about your daily routine, you never expect to have a dental emergency ruin your day; however, 1 in 6 Americans will find themselves in this position this year. When a tooth is knocked out, broken, or a sudden toothache develops, your first instinct may be to head to your local emergency room, but is that the right choice? No. In most cases, it is best to call a dentist who handles dental emergencies in Creve Coeur instead of heading to the hospital.

Save Time and Money

The American Dental Association estimates that one person every 15 seconds in the United States visits a hospital emergency room for a dental-related issue. While it may seem like the logical choice because they are equipped to handle a wide range of situations that require prompt care, they are not capable of treating dental emergencies.

Honestly, there is not much an emergency physician can do. They are not trained to perform dental treatments. At most, they can provide you with pain killers and antibiotics. You will still need to visit your dentist in Creve Coeur to get the care you need.

Not only will you waste valuable time that could be better spent saving your tooth, but you will also have to pay higher fees. ER visits cost much more than an exam at the dentist, even for those who do not have dental insurance. In fact, if a tooth needs to be extracted, it will cost nearly 10 times as much if you have it done in an emergency room than if your emergency dentist in Creve Coeur performs the treatment.

With a dramatic increase in the amount of people visiting the hospital for dental issues over the last several years, most these trips could have been avoided with preventive care. While most dental emergencies do require care from a dentist, there are times when you should head to your emergency room, such as if you have:

• Severe swelling
• Uncontrollable bleeding
• Possible broken jaw
• Life-threatening infection

Prevent Dental Emergencies

Although not all dental emergencies can be prevented, such as if trauma to the face occurs, many are avoidable. In addition to practicing proper oral hygiene at home, routine preventive appointments help to keep the teeth and gums healthy.

With your dentist monitoring your oral health every six months, they can detect potential issues, like tooth decay, that can turn into an emergency in the future. This significantly reduces the occurrence of an unexpected dental problem.

The use of athletic mouthguards can also help to decrease the risk. In fact, the American Dental Association reports that more than 200,000 oral injuries are prevented each year when an athletic mouthguard is worn.

Skip the ER and Call Your Dentist

When facing a dental emergency, time is of the utmost importance to save your tooth from needing to be extracted. Skip your local ER and call your dentist right away.

About Feigenbaum Dental

Feigenbaum Dental is committed to creating generations of healthy, beautiful smiles. In addition to providing general dentistry, we believe in always being there for our patients—even during emergencies. If you have a dental emergency, contact our office right away for an appointment.