If you have a dental emergency, you should seek medical treatment immediately, however, calling 911 may not be necessary. Dental problems can range from minor annoyances to life-threatening problems. Unless the event is a matter of life or death, then calling 911 is usually not necessary. In some cases, it may be better to go directly to an oral surgeon first instead of calling the police. When it comes to a severe dental problem, time is of the essence. Waiting on the police to arrive may take too long. A dental emergency can be very stressful and lead to a state of panic, but it is important to remain calm and seek medical treatment immediately.
If the affected teeth are severely damaged, such as from an assault, calling the police is necessary for safety reasons against the attacker. In this case, getting away from the situation and finding safety is the highest priority. From there, police will be able to drive you to an emergency center. If you find that getting there on your own is faster, then go with this option.
One of the most serious dental emergencies is a luxated tooth or a tooth that has been drastically displaced from its original position. At this point, the tooth only has a few hours left to be saved because the nerves underneath the gums are now exposed. The most important thing is to keep the tooth from drying out by keeping the mouth closed. If the tooth dies out completely, it will have to be removed to prevent an infection. This is one of the more complicated situations. Calling the police would seem like the logical choice, but waiting would be a waste of time. An oral surgeon must be seen in the shortest time possible.
Exercise extreme caution if you are planning to push the tooth back into place. Make sure that your hands are cleaned and be prepared to endure a lot of pain. By no means should this method replace a surgeon’s treatment but it will buy a couple extra hours for the tooth. Try not to talk and keep the mouth stable. With the nerves exposed, bacteria from the air can easily enter into the gums and cause an infection.
Consider the accompanying costs. Generally, police will call an ambulance to assist you, but the cost for the ambulance will be astronomical, even for short distances. Therefore, it is most likely in your best interest to drive yourself or get help from someone to drive you.
For less severe problems, such as a toothache, it is not necessary to call the police. Keep in mind that toothaches should not be brushed off. Generally, toothaches are a sign of a more serious problem, such as an infection. If left untreated, the gums and surrounding nerves could flare up in an instant, which will lead to a more serious issue. A surgeon will not be necessary for a toothache. Instead, a dentist will be able to properly diagnose the issue and suggest the proper procedure. Usually, the dentist will try to do everything they can to save the tooth, and resort to extraction as a last resort. By taking care of the problem in advance, you save yourself a lot of time and money.
In most dental emergencies, calling the police is not necessary and may prove to be unhelpful. This is because of the nature of dental emergencies. They don’t necessarily leave someone incapacitated but they still require immediate attention. Therefore, it is usually better to get to an emergency center on your own.