Can you go to the ER for a toothache?

124»

Replies

  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I love how it's been two hours, and the OP is still here arguing and trying to justify it rather than just going. I guess it isn't a true emergency after all.
  • CJisinShape
    CJisinShape Posts: 1,404 Member
    Instant pain relief: gargle with warm salty water. I have no idea why it works better than toothache medicine, but it does.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    I love how it's been two hours, and the OP is still here arguing and trying to justify it rather than just going. I guess it isn't a true emergency after all.

    *sigh*

    This.
  • mlwatts2
    mlwatts2 Posts: 244 Member
    I love how it's been two hours, and the OP is still here arguing and trying to justify it rather than just going. I guess it isn't a true emergency after all.


    ugh....exactly...
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
    I love how it's been two hours, and the OP is still here arguing and trying to justify it rather than just going. I guess it isn't a true emergency after all.


    ugh....exactly...

    Yup.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    If this is an obviously needing to be pulled tooth... the ER won't be much help (I'm saying this under the impression that you knew you had a tooth issue, and it has gotten worse).

    If you're having jaw pain/numbness/really, really bad pain however, you probably should. I thought *I* had dental pain, called a nurse just to check... and here I've been in the hospital for a TIA for four days. :laugh:

    That being said, I'm off the forums now so I don't stress myself out... but I had to come on since this is the "talked about" post today on everyone's feeds... but it's funny, because I thought my issue was just a dental thing that made a nurse "by protocol" refer me to the ER... and it revealed a host of unexpected problems!

    Holy crap, firstsip! Get well soon!
  • cmwhited6204
    cmwhited6204 Posts: 210 Member
    Okay so long story short I just woke up in the utter most agony.. i'm actually crying cos of a toothache.. I know I need this tooth pulled but have not been able to afford it.. must be infected or something.. can you go to ER if you have a toothache? It's 1am here so obv all dentists are closed plus I can't afford to see one atm.

    know it's probs a silly question.. :S

    Not here to freak you out but you need to get that taken care of today. The teeth are a major problem in blood disease if an infection is not taken care of. I know someone who was 25 who put off a tooth ache and later died. Go today and make payments if you have too.

    TODAY!
  • Jxnsmma
    Jxnsmma Posts: 919 Member
    If you can't afford to see a dentist how do you think you can afford the ER? If you walked into our ER with a toothache we'd all hate you.

    That's nice. Anyone with any medical knowledge is aware that toothaches can be a result of a severe infection which can be life threatening. Furthermore, some people don't have a choice. Hopefully judgmental individuals will never have to go through such worries. I'm not for people abusing the ER system, but sounds like she has a legitimate medical issue.

    Actually tell that to you rmedical insurance....medical insurance more than 90% of the time will not cover a ER visit if it is not a life threating reason for going. ALSO, the ER has a deductable and if she has a deductable for her insurance and doesn't use it very often she'd be charged more, plus the co-pay, plus the co-pay for the meds. I know b/c I work for the hospital, and know the billing and have had a tooth problem and had to use medical which covered it only b/c it was a boney impacted wisdom tooth. Other than that you get the ER bill and she already said she didn't have money so why would she go to the ER where she is wasting the nurses and doctor's time and taking away from people who might actually be dying. It's a toothache and it didn't just happen i'm sure she knew about it and if she can't wait 8hrs for a dentist that's ridiculous.

    Our insurance it's based on whether or not you are admitted to the hospital. If you are admitted, then it's no charge for the ER visit. If you are not admitted, then it's a $100 fee.

    This has been the case for every insurance plan I've ever had.

    YAY for Canada! I have a tooth ache, I go to the dentist or to the ER and voila, fixed ;)
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    If this is an obviously needing to be pulled tooth... the ER won't be much help (I'm saying this under the impression that you knew you had a tooth issue, and it has gotten worse).

    If you're having jaw pain/numbness/really, really bad pain however, you probably should. I thought *I* had dental pain, called a nurse just to check... and here I've been in the hospital for a TIA for four days. :laugh:

    That being said, I'm off the forums now so I don't stress myself out... but I had to come on since this is the "talked about" post today on everyone's feeds... but it's funny, because I thought my issue was just a dental thing that made a nurse "by protocol" refer me to the ER... and it revealed a host of unexpected problems!

    Holy crap, firstsip! Get well soon!

    Thank you! :smile:
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
    If you can't afford to see a dentist how do you think you can afford the ER? If you walked into our ER with a toothache we'd all hate you.
    Who give a sh** who you hate? I am assuming you are saying you are a medical professional. Aren't you supposed to really care that people are in pain?

    Not when you're taking away from ppl who could be dying b/c you have a f*cking toothache
    Curse you with an abscess. Worst pain of life. Hope any medical professionals like you suffer hugely. Karma is a total *****.
  • RubyRed8067
    RubyRed8067 Posts: 301
    Do you have a dentist? Because they can get you in for an emergency visit. If you go to the ER, you'll be waiting for quite a while. The triage nurse will put you at low priortiy, and you'll be miserable sitting in the waiting room for that long. Not to mention the fact that you'll wind up catching the flu or come other type of respiratory infection from all the other sick people in the WR. I avoid the ER like the plague. Try your dentist's office first.
  • RubyRed8067
    RubyRed8067 Posts: 301
    For crying out loud, go to the dentist..

    For crying out loud, how many dentists are open at 2am?


    Umm yeah ER visits are completely covered by insurance.. dentists aren't..

    Not here they aren't. The opposite holds true in my case. An ER visit for me would cost a minimum $250 JUST to go, unless I'm admitted to the hospital.
  • RubyRed8067
    RubyRed8067 Posts: 301
    If you can't afford to see a dentist how do you think you can afford the ER? If you walked into our ER with a toothache we'd all hate you.
    Who give a sh** who you hate? I am assuming you are saying you are a medical professional. Aren't you supposed to really care that people are in pain?

    No.
  • shandi_b
    shandi_b Posts: 153 Member
    I read through and noticed you said you are in Australia. Yes if your tooth is infected you can go to Emergency, they will probably give you pain killers and antibiotics but you need to stop the infection, as other people have mentioned they can be life threatening if they get really bad. If you are based in a capital city e.g Melbourne you can go to the Dental hospital and they will often do the work for free but you will have to be prepared to wait and you will often get graduates or final year students doing the work. If you are a country area I know that some dentists will let you pay off the treatment over a few weeks. All this is based on experience or people I know and I live in Australia. If you haven't seen anyone by now (and it's now morning in Aus), start ringing around and get it sorted. Thinking back to my uni days, the student info centre also used to have information about lower cost dentists.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    For crying out loud, go to the dentist..

    For crying out loud, how many dentists are open at 2am?


    Umm yeah ER visits are completely covered by insurance.. dentists aren't..

    Not here they aren't. The opposite holds true in my case. An ER visit for me would cost a minimum $250 JUST to go, unless I'm admitted to the hospital.

    Well apparently she has better ER coverage in her plan! Ahhh....the karma is just beginning to flow. :laugh:
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
    If the doctor at the hospital call feels you have an abcess they can put you on antibiotics to get rid of the infection. Some hospitals have a dentist on call.
    If not, call the dentist's offices that are local., an exam and xray should cost aprox $60 (bc canada fee guide) but ask ahead of time what the exam and xray will cost.(some offices are creative with their fee's) They don't charge for the perscription, but the pharmasy will.
  • kpatnode90
    kpatnode90 Posts: 6
    I have a filling that has fallen out of my first molar and now my root is exposed, I have kaiser medical insurance that covers 100 percent of everything including ER visits but am currently getting on a new dental plan that isn't in effect until January 1st. I'm in so much pain and have tried everything over the counter and have even tried chewing fresh garlic and a garlic tincture. I'm in so much pain I cannot even think straight. Do you think an ER would honestly help me manage the pain or just send me on my way because I'm not going to waste my time if I won't be treated.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
    Get a bottle of whisky, a pair of pliers, and go at it.
  • bambishealth
    bambishealth Posts: 134 Member
    They can give you pain meds and may start abx if they feel you are at risk/have an infection. Otherwise not much else they can do. Will advise you to call a dentist ASAP.
  • kpatnode90
    kpatnode90 Posts: 6
    If I could get a grip on that sucker I totally would, come pull it for me? I'll share the alcohol ;)
  • bambishealth
    bambishealth Posts: 134 Member
    As a medical professional myself, I find using the word "hate" very strong when referring to patients....Maybe you should rethink your career path...
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
    Please dear god. Don't. Pop some Ibuprofen and go into the dentist tomorrow. You say you can't afford the dentist, but you can "afford" the ER? Bull****. It's crap like this that puts a damper on the system. They will do nothing but tell you to take some pain killers, and then they'll send you on your way.
  • kpatnode90
    kpatnode90 Posts: 6
    I can't take ibuprofin and maybe you didn't read my post, I have medical insurance ok I don't have to pay for an ER visit it's covered 100 percent. I don't have dental insurance until January 1st or I'd be at the ****ing dentist!
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
    I can't take ibuprofin and maybe you didn't read my post, I have medical insurance ok I don't have to pay for an ER visit it's covered 100 percent. I don't have dental insurance until January 1st or I'd be at the ****ing dentist!

    You can't take Ibuprofin? Why? Can you take anything? If not, what do you expect the ER to do? It's not about whether or not you have insurance, it's about not abusing our emergency system. It's called an emergency room. A toothache is not an emergency. I understand that in rare cases a sore tooth could turn into something worse, but I can promise you that if you wait another few hours and go into the actual dentist, you will still be alive. Tell them to bill you.....most of them will if it is an actual DENTAL emergency.

    SMH. If you broke your leg or cracked your head open, THEN I would tell you to go to the ER. I hate when people take advantage because they know they won't be turned away. Just once I would like to tell a non-critical patient who called my ambulance to call a taxi instead and go see their primary doctor.

    To answer your question: YES, you can go to the ER for whatever the hell you want. Getting anything done about it is a whole other story. Good luck.
  • kpatnode90
    kpatnode90 Posts: 6
    I don't quite appreciate your comment. I pay 3,500$ a month for premium healthcare for my family ok, I'm in the process of switching dental providers therefore I have no coverage for 2 weeks. I cannot take any anti-inflammorties and have hit my daily maximum NSAID limit, I have used orajel, anesol, clove oil, and garlic. I can afford to go to the ER because fortunately I have medical insurance with full coverage. So for you to be so ignorant as to tell me I can't utilize my insurance and my resources to manage my pain is outrageous. If anything it's your negativity that puts a damper on our system and our society.. And for the record, it's patients that keep your *kitten* employed.


    I can't take any anti-inflammatories and I don't feel the need to tell you why I cannot. Who are you to judge whether or not something is an emergency for another person? Do you know the pain I am in? No you don't.. Do you know it hasn't already escalated to some sort of infection? No. So take your ignorance and your wild accusations elsewhere.
  • kpatnode90
    kpatnode90 Posts: 6
    Right I'm going to go to a dentist and have them bill me for the possible start of a root canal and pay 1000 when I could wait two weeks and go to an urgent care for free and have them give me something to temporarily relieve pain and discomfort and start me on antibiotics if needed until my insurance kicks in.
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
    I don't quite appreciate your comment. I pay 3,500$ a month for premium healthcare for my family ok, I'm in the process of switching dental providers therefore I have no coverage for 2 weeks. I cannot take any anti-inflammorties and have hit my daily maximum NSAID limit, I have used orajel, anesol, clove oil, and garlic. I can afford to go to the ER because fortunately I have medical insurance with full coverage. So for you to be so ignorant as to tell me I can't utilize my insurance and my resources to manage my pain is outrageous. If anything it's your negativity that puts a damper on our system and our society.. And for the record, it's patients that keep your *kitten* employed.


    I can't take any anti-inflammatories and I don't feel the need to tell you why I cannot. Who are you to judge whether or not something is an emergency for another person? Do you know the pain I am in? No you don't.. Do you know it hasn't already escalated to some sort of infection? No. So take your ignorance and your wild accusations elsewhere.


    This has already been said about 100 times, but why are you still on this forum? Why haven't you gone to the ER? You are so vehement about going, so why haven't you? And FYI, I got into Emergency Medical Services to help patients in an emergency. If I wanted to deal with people like you, I would have become a CNA. Your ignorance amazes me. Go to the ER. Get off of MFP and go to the Emergency Room. I am sorry you are in pain........but for the love of Jesus, please don't call an ambulance.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    This is a weird bump.



    Oh.




    This is a weird thread still.

Categories