Your Emergency Dentist Helps You Handle A Dental Injury While Abroad

It’s important to be as prepared as possible when traveling abroad. However, dental hygiene is often overlooked while you’re on vacation. What should you do when you have a toothache while flying? What do you do when you knock out a tooth on vacation? In this post, your emergency dentist explains what to do when experiencing a dental issue abroad.

What Should I Do Immediately?

Before visiting a nearby dentist or emergency room, address your injury by completing the following.

Toothache

It’s not uncommon to experience a toothache while flying. Air can enter your teeth through cracks, cavities or spaces in your fillings and expand. This is because of air pressure imbalances and should end soon after you land. If your tooth pain doesn’t go away after arriving, rinse out your mouth and use floss to dislodge anything that might be stuck in your teeth. Apply a cold compress to reduce any swelling and take over-the-counter painkillers if necessary.

Chipped or Cracked Tooth

Chipping or cracking a tooth is a dental emergency that requires immediate attention. Rinse your mouth with warm water and use a cold compress to reduce swelling. If possible, locate any missing teeth fragments and bring them with you to the dental office or hospital.

Dislodged Tooth

If you knock out a tooth, hold it by the crown (not the root) and carefully rinse it with nothing but water. Gently place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with gauze or a clean washcloth. If returning the tooth to the socket hurts, keep the tooth in a clean container with milk or your saliva to maintain moisture. Reimplantation is possible, especially in the first 30 minutes following the trauma, so see a medical professional as quickly as possible.

How Can I Travel Prepared?

One of the best ways to avoid a dental emergency while traveling is to start your preparations before you leave. If you’re experiencing any dental pain, visit your dentist a couple weeks before your trip. They can check for any serious issues and give you tips on caring for your teeth abroad. If you’re still worried about something happening, consider changing your dental plan to protect you while traveling.

On your trip, make sure to keep up with your oral hygiene routine. Pack the necessary toiletries and don’t skip brushing or flossing. You can also decrease your likelihood of an oral emergency by minding your diet. Avoid chewing on hard candies or other tough snacks. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, avoid foods with extreme temperatures.

A dental emergency can be a scary experience, especially while traveling. With the help of some pre-planning, you can care for your teeth before you leave and protect them while you’re away. Reach out to your dentist for more oral health tips to follow while traveling.

About the Author

Dr. Ukti Phadnis enjoys practicing all kind of dentistry for patients of all ages. She strives to form trusting relationships with her patients for comfortable and fulfilling appointments. For more dental health tips, she can be reached through her website or at 860-400-3007.