MD: Going on a trip all gleeful and excited, you can forget oral health essentials. Discover a pre-travel checklist & packing tips to handle mouth issues easily!

How to Maintain Your Oral Health While Traveling

It’s fairly easy to maintain optimal oral health at home, when your favorite toothbrush and toothpaste are patiently waiting in a designated holder, and the irrigator provides a consistent water stream. Imagine this comfort gone away on a spontaneous trip. Feverishly scanning your suitcase, you might discover your dental appliances after a while in the best case, and in the worst — realize you’ve left them at home. 

Let’s forearm ourselves with actionable tips on packing the right oral hygiene kit and caring for the oral cavity while traveling. Find out what to do if you need urgent dental care on a trip, so you won’t have to endure an extremely severe toothache.

Pre-Travel Oral Health Checklist

Before you leave your dental home fortress for a trip, ensure you do a few things to avoid dental emergencies on the go.

1. Schedule a preventive dental check-up. A routine check-up before a major trip can help determine any hazardous dental issues that might arise during travel.

2. Treat loose fillings or sensitive teeth in advance. You can’t fully enjoy your journey, eat ice cream, or drink espresso when one of your teeth screams “Alarm!” Make sure to deal with these dental issues beforehand to depart with peace of mind.

3. Keep your dentist’s contacts at hand. Even if you are forearmed to the bones, unexpected dental problems might pop up, putting your entire trip at risk. Having the contact information of the professional you trust, you can call them and ask for a timely consultation on your dental issue.

4. Check on your travel dental insurance benefits. Luckily, most travel insurance includes dental coverage. Though a common travel medical plan covers only emergencies for natural teeth, this might vary. Save your insurance provider’s data to contact them swiftly in time of need.

5. Invest in travel-friendly oral hygiene essentials. Pick a specialized collapsible toothbrush, travel-sized toothpaste, compact mouthwash, and disposable floss—with these products, maintaining oral care will be more convenient. 

Packing the Right Oral Hygiene Kit

The proper dental hygiene kit can help ensure your teeth and gums are sufficiently protected from plaque buildup on a trip. Remember to pack:

• Compact toothbrush in a ventilated case. A travel-sized toothbrush is convenient to pack and carry, which is vital when you spend the entire day on the go and want to refresh your mouth after meals. Be careful to keep it in a ventilated carrying case to prevent bacteria from spreading. 

• Travel floss. Sometimes a trip occurs at a speedy pace, and you don’t have enough time to brush your teeth after meals. A compact floss kit inside a travel bag or pocket will help you remove food particles and keep your teeth and gums safe during travel. 

• Fluoride toothpaste. A mineralized toothpaste is indispensable when you don’t have access to your routine oral hygiene products. Fluoride enriches the enamel of your teeth, makes them stronger, prevents cavities, and even reverses early tooth decay. 

This is a bare minimum to maintain a proper oral care regimen on your journey.

Managing Oral Health Emergencies While Traveling

For dental emergencies, a mere oral hygiene kit doesn’t suffice. You should always have a first aid kit with the following essentials to manage any discomfort that might ruin an otherwise perfect journey:

• sterile gauze pads;

• pain relievers;

• a compact dental mirror;

• a cold compress pack;

• temporary dental cement, etc.

You can buy these all at pharmacies. We also recommend keeping digital copies of your recent dental records at hand in case you seek professional help at the place of your destination. Many dental emergencies can be clarified over the phone, so you can call your dentist to find out whether your issue needs to be treated right away or it can wait until you return home.

Here are some common oral health emergencies that might happen while traveling:

Maintaining Consistent Oral Hygiene Routine

Never skip your regular dental hygiene routine while traveling:

• Brush your teeth twice a day, no less than for two minutes.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to clean your teeth and gums.

• Floss daily to remove plaque and food particles in dental gaps.

Remember that most dental emergencies are caused by using teeth as tools, chewing hard candies or ice, and neglecting protective gear during activities. 

Don’t Put Your Oral Health at Risk

When you’re away from home, it might be challenging to maintain optimal oral health. A flippant approach to dental hygiene might cause disruptions in your enjoyment and even lead to severe, cost-intensive consequences. Prioritize your dental health while traveling to enjoy a healthy and radiant smile for years to come.