How to get emergency dental care with no insurance

What counts as a dental emergency

A dental emergency is a mouth or tooth problem that needs help quickly. The American Dental Association lists a knocked-out tooth, a cracked tooth and a toothache as examples. It also lists a bitten tongue or lip and an object stuck in the mouth. A tooth infection can be quite serious as well. MedlinePlus, a health site from the National Library of Medicine, describes an abscess as a pocket of pus caused by a tooth infection. It says a swollen area of the upper or lower jaw is a very serious symptom.

MedlinePlus also says an abscess left untreated can lead to life-threatening complications, such as an infection that spreads to the jaw, soft tissue or blood. A throbbing toothache that will not go away is a good reason to call a dentist soon. This page is general information and is not medical advice, and it cannot tell you what is wrong with your tooth.

Signs that mean the emergency room right now

Some signs mean you should not wait for a dental office to open. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom lists these warning signs for a tooth abscess.

• You have trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing, even a little.
• You have a lot of swelling inside your mouth, or you cannot open your mouth properly.
• Your eye is swollen or painful, or your eyesight changes suddenly.

A fever with a swollen face or jaw can mean the infection is spreading, so get care the same day. Go to an emergency room if no dentist can see you that day.

The NHS also says not to drive yourself if you are this ill, so ask someone else to drive you or call an ambulance. Heavy bleeding that will not stop and a serious injury to the face also belong in the emergency room.

What an emergency room can and cannot do for a tooth

A federal law called EMTALA requires emergency rooms to screen and stabilize anyone who comes in, with or without insurance. Stabilize means to treat a problem enough that it is not an immediate danger. An ER can help with pain and with an infection that could spread.

A report on the Medicaid.gov site says emergency departments usually treat tooth problems that did not come from an injury. They do it with pain relief, antibiotics, or both. The same report says these visits may point to a lack of access to more suitable dental care. In plain words, the ER often does not fix the tooth itself, so a dentist visit may still be needed afterward.

An ER visit can also lead to a bill, even though the ER must treat you. Our guide on the ER without insurance explains what to expect and how to ask for help. When a bill arrives, read about hospital financial assistance, because many nonprofit hospitals must have a policy that lowers bills for people with lower incomes.

Call a dentist first and say you pay yourself

The American Dental Association says to call your dentist and describe the problem in as much detail as you can. It adds that most dentists set aside time for emergency patients. Without a regular dentist, call a few offices that are open today and use the same script.

Here is what you can say when you call: "I do not have insurance, and I have a dental emergency. Can you see me today, and what is your self-pay price for the exam and X-ray?" Self-pay means you pay on your own without insurance. Some offices have a lower price for people who pay on the spot, and some offer a payment plan. It also helps to ask what happens if more than one visit is needed.

Our guide on how to ask for the cash price explains your right to know the price before treatment. A good faith estimate is a written price quote. Providers must give one to people who pay without insurance when care is scheduled ahead of time, but that rule does not cover emergency care.

Lower-cost places to follow up

HRSA, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, lists the places below for lower-cost dental care, and each one is worth a phone call.

• Some community health centers offer dental care, and HRSA says the cost at many of them is based on your income. Not every center has a dentist, so ask first.
• Dental schools and dental hygiene schools often run clinics that offer lower-cost care. Ask whether they take emergency visits, because many use a waiting list.
• Your state oral health program may have information about free or low-cost dental care.

Our guides on community health centers and dental care without insurance explain how to find these places. Calling 2-1-1 can also connect you to local help. Some cities have urgent dental clinics that take walk-ins, and each sets its own prices. We cannot recommend one, so ask the clinic for its self-pay price before you sit down.

Check whether dental care is included if Medicaid covers you or your child. Children enrolled in Medicaid must be covered for dental services, and adult dental rules differ by state.

First aid while you wait for care

The American Dental Association gives a few simple steps for the time before care. For a knocked-out tooth, keep the tooth moist at all times. If you can, put it back in the socket without touching the root. If that is not possible, keep it between your cheek and gum or in milk, and see a dentist right away.

For a broken or cracked tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water and put a cold compress on your face to keep swelling down. For a toothache, rinse with warm water and gently floss out any food that is stuck. The association says not to put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum.

A regular doctor usually cannot pull or fill a tooth. A doctor can still look at swelling, check for fever, and say whether the ER is needed. If you have no doctor, search for a cash-pay doctor near you. Our directory lists physicians and does not list dentists.