Travel Tips for Your Teeth

When we travel we hardly get time to take care of our oral health. Sometimes, it may be difficult to follow our regular oral hygiene protocols that we perform at our home. But still to continue a good oral health status, we need to follow these protocols while traveling too.

 Here are the some tips that may be tooth savers to you and your family while travelling.

• Visit your dentist before planning  a vacation.

This is to know current status of your oral cavity, if there are new cavities or not? Any other problems that may cause inconvenience during your trip? These you should know before going on your trip/ vacation. Sometimes, if you have an untreated cavity in your tooth and you are doing air travel,  due to changes in cabin pressure during the flight you may exhibit severe tooth pain. It is better to fill your cavities before long travels. If you have plaque and tar-tar on your teeth, get them cleaned as during travelling, if you miss out on your brushing, rinsing, flossing schedule , it may increase your gum problems on vacation. Also, flashing a white smile creates lovely vacation photographs and memories!

• Carry a travel oral hygiene kit

Oral hygiene kit includes toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss. Keep all these near you in handbag always so that you can easily access them during travel and use them. Use protective cover for your toothbrush that have ventilation to prevent bacterial growth on it. You can also use disposable tooth brushes and floss.

• Dietary instructions

Avoid sticky food, drink lots of water and chew sugar free gum to keep your mouth wet and fresh. Instead of sugary and sticky food have a healthy snacks – those are better for your oral health like fruits and other veggies. Have a quick swish of water in your mouth after every meal in case you cannot rinse. Do not open that beer bottle with your teeth! It may cause a tooth fracture. Limit soft drinks and soda although you are on a vacation mode. This will not only help in maintaining your oral health but also help in preventing weight gain post the vacay!

• Emergency medication

Along with your medicine kit, carry a painkiller like diclofenac in case of emergency pain.

• Emergency pain

In case of dental pain, avoid chewing ice, hard candies, or other foods that can chip or crack your teeth. Sometimes, applying an icepack externally helps. In case of dental emergency, consult your dentist on phone/email or visit a nearby local dentist.

• Dental accidents.

In case of any accident or trauma, if your tooth is completely luxated out or avulsed from oral cavity then you can keep it in pasteurized milk, water, your own saliva, coconut water, contact lens solution or rehydrating solutions, like Gatorade and Ricetral etc. Contact your surrounding local dentist within 48 hours. If possible, your dentist can try to re-implant that same avulsed tooth.                   

So to enjoy your vacation, plan not only your itinerary well but also spare a thought about your family’s and your dental health!