Can I Take My Child To The ER For Tooth Pain?

If your child is experiencing serious tooth pain like a toothache or pain after breaking a tooth, you may be wondering if they should go to the ER, or if you should see an emergency pediatric dentist in Houston, like Dr. Jason Brock. 

In this blog from Big Picture Pediatric Dentistry, we’ll discuss everything that parents should know about tooth pain, the ER, and how to get the emergency dental care their child needs to protect their oral health. 
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Going To The ER For Tooth Pain Is Usually A Bad Idea – Here’s Why

First, going to the ER for tooth pain is rarely a good option. It may seem intuitive to simply go to the hospital emergency room when your child is in pain, but there are a few reasons why this is not the best option in most cases.

• ERs may not have dentists on staff – In general, ERs do not have dentists on staff. They may have oral surgeons and other dental specialists “on call,” and available to come in for serious issues like a broken jaw, but the majority of ERs won’t have a general emergency dentist who can treat tooth pain and other more minor dental issues.
  
  Basically, they won’t be able to offer emergency dentistry for kids, so you may simply be sent away from the ER if you show up with a child who has tooth pain.
  
  
• Visiting the ER is extremely expensive – Even if you do get treatment at the ER, doing so is very expensive. ERs usually charge more for care than other types of dental offices, and high ER “facility fees” can add hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to the bill, in some cases.
  
  
• Tooth pain is almost never a life-threatening issue – Dental emergencies like tooth pain are serious. But with some rare exceptions, they are not life-threatening. The ER is meant for major health issues that need treatment right away, like broken bones, heart attacks, strokes, and so on.
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Use Your Best Judgment – Don’t Hesitate To Go To The ER If You Think You Need To!

With all the above information, you may think that going to the ER is never a good idea if your child has tooth pain or a dental emergency. But that’s not quite true. 

You should absolutely go to the ER if you think your child’s life is at risk. For example, if they have a broken jaw due to a serious accident, their face or mouth is swelling, or they are showing signs of a concussion after an impact to the head, you should definitely go to the ER.

However, if your child’s discomfort and condition are more minor, we recommend that you call Big Picture Pediatric Dentistry to discuss their issue with our team, and to get a same-day appointment with Dr. Brock, our emergency pediatric dentist in Houston. 
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Contact Big Picture Pediatric Dentistry For Expert Pediatric Emergency Dentistry

If you need emergency dentistry for kids in Houston, Big Picture Pediatric Dentistry is where you want to be. We offer expert care for children of all ages, and we can help your child get the relief they need from their tooth pain. Just contact us at (281) 461-7470 to discuss your child’s situation and schedule a same-day emergency appointment with Dr. Brock right away.