You know to take yourself and your children to the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings.
However, where would you go for treatment of injuries, infections, pain and other symptoms in your teeth or mouth?
Parkland Community Health Plan covers certain types of dental emergencies, including care you or your children receive in a hospital or ambulatory surgical center. (Medicaid members can get routine dental care through their Medicaid dental plan – check your dental ID card to see which dental provider you have.)
What is considered a dental emergency?
Dislocated jaw
If you’ve dislocated your jaw, you also may notice:
- Severe pain.
- Not being able to close your mouth.
- That your jaw looks lopsided.
- Your upper and lower teeth do not close as they should.
Traumatic injury to your teeth and mouth
Go to the emergency room if you experience:
- Severe pain.
- Swelling in your face or gums.
- Having a hard time chewing.
- Bleeding gums.
- A loose tooth or teeth.
- Visible chips or cracks in teeth.
Dental cyst or abscess
A dental cyst is a small sac filled with fluid that can develop even on healthy teeth. If the cyst fills with pus, you have an abscess - a kind of infection.
Seek treatment if you notice any of the following:
- Having trouble when you bite or chew.
- A loose or moving tooth.
- Bleeding gums.
- Teeth that break suddenly.
- Pain or pressure in one or more teeth.
- Being sensitive to hot or cold foods and liquids.
- Bad breath.
- A bad taste in your mouth.
- Swelling in your neck or jaw.
- Discharge (pus) in your mouth.
- Fever.
- A loose tooth or teeth.
If you need more treatment in the days or weeks after an emergency department visit, do not return to the emergency department. Instead, call your dentist or primary care doctor and ask where you should go for further treatment.
You may also get answers to your questions by calling the Parkland Community Health Plan Nurse Line. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
STAR Medicaid
1-888-667-7890
214-266-8773
CHIP/CHIP Perinate
1-800-357-3162
214-266-8766
TTY Line
1-800-735-2989
Get Extra Benefits and Paid Rewards for Dental Care
STAR Medicaid members age 21 and older can get up to $400 per year for dental services, including checkups, x-rays, and cleanings.
Learn more about extra benefits and paid rewards here.
