The flights have been booked, hotels organized and tour planned. The thought of taking a well-deserved break and going travelling is exhilarating. However before you get overwhelmed with the excitement, just as you should check on vaccinations you may need, consider getting a dental check at least few weeks before you leave.
There is nothing worse than having a toothache when you’re enjoying yourself exploring a new country.
Dental problems can strike at any time and access to dental treatment may not be readily available at all destinations. Additionally, the chances of you finding yourself in a dental emergency significantly increase if you have undiagnosed or untreated dental problems.
Young adults in particular should pay their dentist a visit to check the status of their wisdom teeth and take necessary measures to prevent them from playing up while travelling. So before you jump on the plane, book in to visit your dentist for and exam and any necessary x-rays.
Are you planning to go scuba diving or snorkelling during your trip? According to a recent survey (published in the British Dental Journal) a significant proportion of divers experienced some form of toothache while underwater.
The ache was attributed to a condition known as barodontalgia, which presents itself as a sharp pain and is triggered by a change in ambient pressure and could also occur during flights.
Teeth with cavities, infections and faulty restorations are the main culprits of this unpleasant condition.
What about oral care?
Often we indulge ourselves with local cuisine and perhaps have too many soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.
Make sure you have plenty of water after your meals to dilute any sugars and acids that are contained in food and drinks so it will wash them away from your teeth.
If the tap water at your chosen destination isn’t safe to drink, then it’s also not safe to brush your teeth with—so use bottled or treated water for brushing.
Changes in time zones and lack of schedule could also affect your oral hygiene routine resulting in you skipping brushing and flossing sessions. In order to maintain a good level of oral care, pack a small tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush with you and carry it around in your bag so it is easily accessible at all times.
Here, at Bite Dental Studios, we often get small sample size tubes of toothpaste so don’t be shy and ask one of our friendly staff to give you one or two to take with you on your next holiday.