Can you go to urgent care for a dental emergency?

Can you go to urgent care for a dental emergency?

Sometimes, we aren’t too sure what to do when we have a dental emergency. Sometimes we feel excruciating pain, and our first port of call would be to go to urgent care. This is understandable, especially if you’re experiencing a pain you never had before, but is urgent care the right place to go on that occasion?

In this blog, we are going to answer the question ‘Can you go to urgent care for a dental emergency?’

Over 40% of people in the Northwest of England have struggled to attend a dentist appointment, whether this be through failure to be referred by the NHS, or for other reasons.

Coincidentally, approximately 5 million people never had an eye test, and with those within that figure who haven’t had a follow-up eye test in 3 years or more, it’s safe to say most people aren’t aware that their vision may need checking or correcting.

Whether it’s your eyes or teeth that are the issue, the team here at Eye & Dental Clinic are leading by example in both minor eye care and cosmetic dentistry, along with emergency dental treatment, provided by real people whose aim and passion is to provide remarkable clinical care so you can live comfortably.

What is a dental emergency?

A dental emergency can be categorised as an extreme feeling of discomfort that stops you from being able to go about your day in a normal manner. This feeling of discomfort originates from the teeth and gums, which is what places it as a dental emergency.

Dental emergency examples

• Painful toothaches. This can happen as a result of wisdom teeth growing, abscesses, poor dental hygiene, trauma, and more. A toothache can be extremely distressing; it can stop you from eating and functioning normally.
• Tooth sensitivity. This is having feelings of pain or discomfort when your tooth either touches something or feels something hot and cold. This becomes an emergency when it completely stops you from being able to eat.
• Broken filling/tooth. This is an emergency, as a broken tooth can leave your gums and nerves in the tooth exposed to plaque and other contaminants, not to mention the aesthetic issue; broken teeth must be addressed immediately.
• Swelling abscess. An abscess is the result of an infection in the gums, beside the teeth. A common occurrence for this is due to food becoming lodged within the gum; seeds and bones are just some of the culprits that can cause swelling to occur.
• Denture adjustments. Dentures can sometimes become uncomfortable or painful to wear; in this instance, they must be seen to, as any pain could lead to injury, which could become infected.
• Crowns & bridges. Permanent features of the teeth should be well-maintained and not lead to any discomfort or pain. The permanent nature of these options means that they should be tended to immediately.
• Painful gums. This can occur as a result of infection, improper care, or a sign of something worse. If the pain in your gums is unbearable, its better to book an emergency appointment rather than wait for it to clear.

Is it better to check my symptoms online?

Of course, checking your symptoms online can be a great indicator of possible issues you may have, but the reality is that without consultation from a medical expert, you will likely still deal with the issue, or it might become something worse if you don’t treat it the way it should be treated.

Can you go to urgent care for a dental emergency?

You can go to urgent care for a dental emergency. If you have issues such as an abscess in your gums, a chipped tooth, or wisdom tooth pain, etc., however,  the likelihood is you will be made to wait, and once seen, you will be advised to see an emergency dentist.

You can go to urgent care for a dental emergency, but you will only be referred to see an emergency dentist.

The only exception, in this case, would be if you received physical trauma to the jaw or face, urgent care would likely do an X-ray, etc., depending on the severity. In this instance, the tooth isn’t the core issue, so any dental work that may be required will be advised to you after treatment of the physical trauma.

Sometimes, infections in and around our gums can lead to serious pain, discomfort, swelling and more. In this instance, a medical professional will again advise you to see an emergency dentist, who can accurately locate the source and cause of the infection and begin to treat it.

Of course, nobody wants to sit around waiting for treatment, only to be told they have to go somewhere else for help, and may not even get that help on the same day.

Why can’t urgent care treat dental emergencies?

This may be subjective to the urgent care centre you visit, but the general reason why dental emergencies are not accommodated is because of the skillset and expertise required in terms of diagnosis and treatment carried out by a dentist.

Hospitals have many departments that generally pertain to the treatment of medical conditions and issues that can be life-threatening. Dentistry (like optometry) isn’t a life-or-death situation in most cases, hence why there are some dental and optical practices that aren’t associated directly with specific hospitals.

Of course, physical trauma that affects the eyes and teeth can be treated at urgent care centres or hospitals, but things such as monitoring eye health, or aesthetic rebuilds of the teeth post-trauma would likely be done through a referral from the hospital, as opposed to from the hospital itself.

Eye & Dental Clinic – Emergency appointments

We at Eye & Dental Clinic are able to see patients who are in need of emergency dental treatment through our expert services. With our wealth of experience and dedication to making you feel better, our emergency appointments will at the very least begin you on the road to recovery, if not ease the symptoms you have, and give you guidance in order to get back to feeling your best.

We have the equipment and expertise needed to treat you, as well as give referrals should they be required. Book an appointment today, or contact us if you have any queries you need answered before making a booking.

Dental checkup services

For those considering a dental checkup with us, here’s what you can expect.

• Professional examination of your mouth, teeth and gums.
• Enquiries about you, your general health and any specific dental problems you may have experienced recently.
• Enquiries about your lifestyle and advice on diet, alcohol and smoking.
• Advice on good cleaning practices and ways to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy.
• Diagnosis of any problems and explaining a treatment plan.
• A clear explanation of any treatment you may require, the costs involved and any risk it may incur.
• A mouth cancer screening, to check for early signs or pre-cancerous changes in the mouth and throat.
• Advice on your next course of action and booking a return appointment.

For any possible treatments you may need, here is our price list for dental treatments.

Book an appointment today

In this blog, we hope to have provided an answer to the question ‘Can you go to urgent care for a dental emergency?’ whilst also giving you supplementary guidance, in addition to the stellar, affordable and professional services we offer for your teeth and eyes.

To gain some insight into our amazing team who do their absolute best for you, follow this link. Want to read more? Click here to check out our blog page. You can also contact us here.

Address:

110 Ainsworth Rd, Bury, BL8 2RS, Lancashire.

Telephone:

01615 245 828

Email:

Bury@eyeanddentalclinic.com

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