Dental Care for Travelers
Summer’s here and it seems like just about everyone’s got travel plans. Whether you’re headed to the lake or to Africa, change is exciting, but it can knock our dental hygiene for a loop.
To make sure your dental health stays put when everything else, including the scenery, is changing, we’ve got a few tips and tricks for you.
Pack healthy snacks
When you’re on the road, unhealthy snacks are everywhere, tempting you with an easy sugar rush, and threatening your teeth. To give you a better chance of avoiding all that sugar, pack nutrient-dense snacks like apple slices, celery, carrot sticks, cheese, nuts, and hard-boiled eggs. Celery and green tea are also great. Celery can stimulate the production of saliva, clean your teeth, and massage your gums, while green tea contains antioxidants that can destroy bacteria that can turn into plaque and protect against bad breath.
Keep a travel kit handy
Always have a dental travel kit in your car or bag. This kit can include items like travel-sized toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, soft picks, and alcohol-free mouthwash. Add floss picks to make flossing on the go even easier.
Rinse your mouth after a meal
If you don't have time to brush after a meal, rinse out your mouth. This can help remove lingering sugars and food particles while reducing plaque buildup.
Chew sugarless gum
Chewing sugarless gum can stimulate saliva production, which helps clean your teeth while reducing plaque and bacteria buildup.
Get treated
If you have any existing oral conditions, get them treated before your trip. That way, you can fully enjoy the experience without worrying about pain or an oral emergency derailing your trip.
Get connected
Prepare for dental emergencies by noting down numbers and names in case you need dental treatment abroad. Also, ask your dentist if they are a member of any associations with international branches, and ask your insurance provider about emergency coverage in the places where you are headed.
Go shopping
Consider buying a new toothbrush for your trip as old ones can harbor germs. Also, purchase a toothbrush cover with holes for ventilation.