Traveling is a part of life, whether you’re just traveling for a weekend getaway or you’re going on a month-long adventure, your teeth are coming with you. Your bags are packed and you have everything you need, but do you have everything you need to maintain your oral health?
It can be easy to get out of your oral hygiene routine when you travel. After all, you’re on vacation and excited to have fun and let’s be honest your oral hygiene is not that fun, but it is very important. Here are some dental tips to maintain your healthy teeth and gums while you’re traveling.
1. Pack your dental necessities. Your dental necessities are your toothbrush, floss and mouthwash and don’t forget your night guard if you’re a grinder or clencher which most people are.
2. Plan ahead. If you plan on traveling make sure you schedule a dentist appointment before your trip to make sure nothing is wrong before you go away. It wouldn’t be fun to be somewhere far away and need to go to an unfamiliar dental office.
3. Keep floss close to you. Keeping floss in a bag that’s always with you can help when you’re eating some great food on your trip, but don’t forget to use that floss because that food you forget about in-between your teeth is now turning into plaque and can cause you to get a cavity. That’s why it’s important to floss daily to remove any plaque in-between your teeth.
4. Protect your toothbrush from germs. You should always use a protective cover for your toothbrush to ensure germs and bacteria are not getting on your toothbrush before you brush your teeth.
5. Let your toothbrush breathe. Going off of the fourth tip it’s important to cover your toothbrush to protect it from germs, but you also want your toothbrush to be able to dry so it’s not wet which can breed bacteria. Make sure your toothbrush is dry before you cover it.
6. Flight tips. While flying make sure you drink lots of water and avoid sticky sugary snacks. Also, while you’re up in the air chew sugar-free gum.
7. Avoid any dental ruins. Examples would be to not chew on any ice, hard candies and anything that is hard so your teeth do not chip or crack.
8. Water warning. Make sure you check that the water is safe before you drink it while on vacation. Depending on where you go the water may not be safe to consume, but you may be unaware of it so, make sure you are asking someone local if the water is safe to drink. If the water is not safe to drink use bottled water to brush your teeth.
Enjoy your next vacation and remember these dental tips while traveling to maintain healthy teeth and gums for life. Give us a call at 215-568-6222 to schedule a free new patient consultation to ensure you’re healthy for your upcoming travel adventure.