Can a tooth abscess be enough reason to go the er?

Yes: Yes, if you do not have access to a dentist.

Absolutely: It can get pretty serious pretty quickly. I'd strongly advice treatment asap.

Dentist, ER ASAP!: Any infection can lead to serious complications and can be life threatening. It is nothing to fool around with or take unnecessary chances. If you cannot get an appointment with a dentist right away, then you should consider going to the er. The problem with the er is that it can take a long time to be seen and they will generally only give you antibiotics and refer you to your dds.