Who Should You Call When You Have a Dental Emergency

December 1, 2011 | Categories: Emergency Dental

If you’ve ever been in an accident, you know that you have a number of calls to make afterwards. If it’s a car accident, then you need to call your insurance company, your doctor (if you’ve sustained any injury) and an auto repair shop. If it’s an accident at home where you’ve injured your mouth, jaw, or teeth, then you may decide that calling a dentist’s office is the best move. How can you know whether or not a call should be made to a dentist’s or a doctor’s office? Well, here are some basic tips.

1) Amount of Pain
- A chipped tooth might sound like the job for a dentist, but if a patient is in a considerable amount of pain there may be more to it than that. There is always the chance that additional, unnoticeable injuries have occurred that need to be addressed by a doctor and not a dentist. However, if the pain is minimal and the injury is to the teeth or mouth, the first call should be to your personal dentist’s office.
2) A Patient’s State
- If a patient is ever knocked unconscious, the doctor needs to be the first call, no questions asked. Head injuries can carry with them serious repercussions if not properly treated. Don’t take the chance, call a doctor immediately.
3) Blood
- Not a fun topic for many, but blood amount can be an effective way to tell if a doctor should be called or a dentist. If the amount of blood is great, and/or the flow doesn’t stop over time, you should seek immediate emergency aid. This could be the result of a very serious injury and shouldn’t be overlooked. Call a Doctor or 911 right away.

If you are unsure whom to call, err on the side of caution and call your doctor. He/she may then suggest that the injury requires the specific care of a dental professional, at which time you can then call your dentist.