Dealing with Dental Emergencies While Traveling

Whether it’s a business trip or a family vacation, the last thing you want is to have your itinerary interrupted by tooth pain. Having to deal with a dental emergency when you can’t get to your normal dental practice can be stressful – especially if it happens while you’re in another country. The best thing you can do to protect your smile is to make a plan ahead of time should the worst happen; acting quickly could be the key to getting the care you need and avoiding a dental disaster.

First Aid for Dental Emergencies

One of the most important steps you can take is to research what you can do to address a dental emergency on your own before you go to a local dentist. Here’s what you can do to ease your pain and protect your smile during some particularly common emergencies:

• For toothaches that don’t go away, rinse your mouth and floss around the tooth in question to dislodge anything that might have gotten stuck there. Take painkillers to manage your discomfort in the meantime. See a dentist as soon as possible if the ache lingers or becomes severe.
• For broken or cracked teeth, rinse your mouth with water, then apply a cold compress outside of your cheek to numb the area and reduce swelling. Find a dentist right away; damaged teeth need to be treated immediately.
• For a knocked-out tooth, always hold it by the crown and not the root. Rinse it off it there’s dirt on it, but do not remove any tissue fragments, and do not scrub it. Put the tooth back in its socket if you can, or put it in a cup of milk. Make arrangements to see a dentist immediately; the odds of saving a tooth start to decrease significantly if you wait more than an hour for treatment.

Finding a Dentist While Traveling

Before you leave on your trip, it’s a good idea to research different dental practices at your destination and what kind of emergency services they offer. That way, if the worst does happen, you’ll be able to contact someone who can help right away.

If you need help finding a dentist while traveling internationally, call your dental or travel insurance’s 24-hour hotline; they can help you find a provider, and they may also be able to help with translation if necessary. Other options include asking a hotel concierge or checking with the local American embassy.

It’s important to make sure that you’ve chosen a dental practice that meets the basic standards of care, such as keeping dental instruments sterilized and making sure team members wear gloves while working with your mouth. Ideally, you should be able to confirm that the practice meets these standards before you arrive for your appointment.

How to Prepare Before Traveling

To avoid a full-blown dental emergency during your trip, you can take a few precautions beforehand.

• Schedule a checkup with your dentist, and let them know that you’ll be leaving for a trip in the near future; they can check for any dental problems that you should be aware of.
• If your dental insurance doesn’t provide overseas coverage, look into getting a temporary additional plan for your trip.
• Make sure that you pack everything you need for your oral hygiene routine (toothpaste, floss, and so on), and pick up some over-the-counter painkillers as well.
• Be mindful of your oral habits; do not chew on hard candies or other foods that can chip your teeth.

Dental emergencies can be frightening, but you can manage them with the proper initiative and planning. Talk to your dentist today for additional tips on how you can prepare to keep your smile safe during your excursion.