Dental Preparation Ahead Of Your Holiday Abroad
How to increase your chances of a trouble free holiday (and what to do when things go wrong).
If you are planning to have a holiday abroad this year, or have already booked one, you’ll probably have started your planning already. For example making sure that your passports are ready and valid as well as spending time (and money) clothes shopping. One thing you might not have considered though is your dental health. Nobody wants to have any problems with toothache etc while on holiday and would rather avoid the need for treatment there if something does arise.
While there are some things that are largely out of our control, there are still a number of things that we can do to minimise the likelihood of any discomfort or need for treatment while you are away.
Check ups
One of the easiest and most obvious things you can do if you haven’t had a check up for a while is to arrange one before you go. All being well, you will have a clean bill of health, but if we do detect an issue, such as a small amount of decay or a cracked tooth, it can be treated before you go and avoids the risk of discomfort while you are away or the need to try to find a dentist at your holiday destination.
Similarly, if you are aware of a small dental issue that has been building, but thought it could perhaps wait until your next check up despite it being a while away; something we definitely don’t recommend by the way, it is best to address this before you go rather than risk the problem coming to a head and spoiling your holiday. It may be that something as straightforward as a small filling at the Acton Vale Dental Centre is all that is needed to allow you to have a pain free holiday.
What to pack
From a dental perspective, make sure when packing, to check that you have packed your toothbrush and charger if it is electric. The same applies for your regular toothpaste. Make sure to also pack some floss. If you are going somewhere remote, you may wish to pack an emergency dental care kit of the type that is available in many chemists. If you do need to use this when abroad, such as to temporarily replace a filling that has fallen out, make sure to make an appointment at our Acton dental practice to have it refilled properly on your return. Temporary fillings placed by yourself will almost certainly allow bacteria to get into the cavity and cause further problems, so you do need to get appropriate treatment from the dentist as soon as you’re back home.
Flying
Why should flying be a problem you might think? The fact is that pressure changes in the aeroplane when you are flying and this can, in cases where you have inflammation or air trapped beneath a filling, create additional pressure and become quite uncomfortable. This is yet another reason to have a check up before you go.
Enjoying your holiday
Aside from the obvious risk of pain while you are away, a troublesome tooth could present challenges when eating, and you might find yourself having to avoid certain foods that you want to try while you are there. If the tooth is sensitive, you may not be able to eat ice cream or have cold drinks which could be an issue, particularly if you are somewhere hot.
When things do go wrong, you will need to take action. If you are in significant pain, you will need to find a local dentist, especially if it will be a while until your return. This can be challenging and so take the advice of your hotel or a trusted local. If you feel that the pain level isn’t too bad, we are happy for you to email or phone us to discuss it. We can offer advice whether you should act quickly and ‘go local’ or whether it will be OK to wait until your return. We can also offer advice on how to stay as comfortable as possible until you get back.
A bit of forethought when it comes to our dental care can pay dividends and allow you to have a holiday to remember and not for the wrong reasons. There may be other questions that some of our Acton patients might have related to this topic, and we are, of course, happy to answer these.
If you are planning to go away and would like to arrange a check up, or for us to check out an issue that you have been having, we are happy to help. To arrange your appointment, please call the Acton Vale Dental Centre today on 0204 8749 3267.