Tips for Dealing With Dental Emergencies While Traveling

Traveling can be an exciting time and a great way for you to make memories with family and friends, or even just yourself. However, sometimes unexpected things can happen while you are traveling such as dental emergencies. Dental emergencies are most often out of your control and there’s no real way to know when or how they will happen. It’s no doubt stressful when this happens while you’re away from home. However, being prepared is the best thing you can do so you know what to do in case you or someone you’re traveling with experiences a dental emergency.

1. Prepare For Your Trip

The first thing you should do before you hop in the car or get on a plane is to prepare for your tip. Especially plan to prepare for dental emergencies, just in case you experience one while you’re away.

Whether you’re traveling solo, with a group of friends, or your family, it’s not a bad idea for everyone traveling to get a dental checkup. That way if there are any dental problems, you can receive any necessary treatment before you are in an unfamiliar place. A dental checkup is a great way to have some peace of mind and have updated information from your dentist. This way you can be stress-free and enjoy your trip.

Also, you should let your dentist know that will be traveling. Write down their contact information. If you are concerned about a dental issue, emergency or not, most issues can be resolved over the phone. Having a dentist you're familiar with only a phone call away, is another way to create peace of mind and be prepared for your time traveling. And if you have yet to find a reliable dentist, be sure to head over to Oakbrook Smiles.

2. Make Dental Care a Priority

When going on vacation or traveling, the last thing you want to do is stress. With that being said, if something happens, it’s important to make your dental care a priority. There may be things you can do to resolve dental emergencies on your own until you can return home and visit your dentist. For example, if you have a toothache, it's best to clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water and floss around the painful area. After you come home, you can visit your dentist to make sure the toothache has healed.

Other dental emergencies need immediate care. These emergencies can include a broken, chipped, or lost tooth. Luckily, there is a network of 24-hour dental clinics available to you. Find a dentist near where you are, and visit them as soon as possible. Please note that if you have experienced any head trauma as well as dental trauma, you will need to head to an emergency room to have your injuries assessed.

3. Plan For Emergencies Overseas

If you plan to travel abroad to another country, handling a dental emergency may be more difficult. Luckily, many parts of the world offer great dental care which will help you a great deal in emergency situations. If an emergency happens while you are overseas and you need immediate care, there are many places to turn to find a dentist. If you're traveling alone, you can pretty much use any dental service within the area you're in. If you're traveling with children, finding a family dentist will be your best bet. If you're traveling in or around Arizona, North Scottsdale Dentistry is a fantastic choice for family dental services.

If you plan on purchasing travel insurance, you will be able to use the company’s 24-hour hotline if you run into a dental emergency. They will help refer you to a qualified dental professional and can even help translate if needed. If you don’t have travel insurance, it’s best to consider purchasing some sort of coverage, especially for travels abroad. It can help you for many other reasons outside of medical issues as well and give you some peace of mind.

Many countries also have dental associations as well which can help you to find dental care. These associations will have certified dentists in the area so you can assure you will find proper care. You can also talk to your hotel’s concierge service or contact the American Embassy if you need help finding a dental referral in the country you’re visiting.

It’s important for you to be prepared for various types of situations while traveling, such as dental emergencies. They can happen anytime and anywhere and are often rather unexpected. Going on a trip is usually fun and relaxing, especially when it’s with family or friends. You want to enjoy these times stress-free; however, while it’s never convenient to deal with dental emergencies away from home, knowing how to handle them is important.