Can you go to the ER for a toothache?

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  • RubyRed8067
    RubyRed8067 Posts: 301
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Get a bottle of whisky, a pair of pliers, and go at it.
  • bambishealth
    bambishealth Posts: 133 Member
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    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
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    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: 133 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    This is a weird bump.



    Oh.




    This is a weird thread still.

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