I am experiencing a lot of pain and swelling from a root canal I had done yesterday. I really need to see my dentist, but unfortunately it’s the weekend. He has an emergency number that I tried to call, however it says it will take a few hours to call back. I simply cannot wait for a call back because the pain is to the point of being unbearable. Can I get emergency dental care if I go to my local ER? — Richard in Missouri
Richard,
There is no doubt that dental pain can be one of the most excruciating life experiences. You did the right thing by contacting your dentist immediately. Even though most root canal procedures have a high success rate there are cases where re-treatment is required or even additional surgery. If you’re suffering in tremendous pain – and it sounds like you are – you can rest assured that most emergency rooms are able to treat dental emergencies such as this. While you can’t get routine dental care, or have a broken or chipped tooth fixed, there is usually a dentist or oral surgeon on call that can prescribe antibiotics, or even offer surgical intervention in the case of extreme pain and swelling. Don’t suffer in pain… get some help, but be sure to follow up with your dentist as soon as you possibly can.
This blog post is brought to you by Des Moines cosmetic dentist, Dr. Phelan Thomas. For more information on the services he provides, please visit his Des Moines cosmetic dentist website.