More Helpful Oral Health Tips When You Travel
Here are more helpful tips in oral health care while you are out on a vacation, a business trip, or enjoying a holiday.
Did you also forget the toothpaste? While it’s easy to buy toothpaste from any convenience store, you might freak out when you realize you just don’t have it at the last minute. Don’t say you’ll stop brushing and defer the routine for another time. Just use plain water and brush your teeth as you ordinarily would. It’s better to resort to this than not brushing at all. Also gargle with your mouth rinse for good measure.
You might be using or wearing dentures, retainers, or mouthguards which you may be taking along with you. Remember that they also need special care so don’t forget to bring any special cleaning supplies for them. If you are wearing braces, bring some wax. And in case you should have a toothache, you also must have painkillers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Can you trust the local water supply where you are staying?
If you are unsure, do not brush your teeth with their water, or even clean your toothbrush with it. Water might be contaminated and make you ill. This is especially so if you are in a country where the water supply is compromised, or you might be outdoors and are not sure if the streams are safe. Always use bottled water for brushing, as well as cleaning your toothbrush with.
While travelling, on vacation or a holiday, you can easily overindulge in eating. The local cuisine in many destinations is most often the pride of the place. Hence, you may let go of yourself and tend to overeat and try everything. Just make sure that after you’ve indulged in lots of sugary, starchy, and acidic food and drinks, in food or in drink, brush your teeth well, floss and rinse. Enjoy the holiday but do not forget oral hygiene. If you can, try to moderate your intake while doing your oral hygiene routine as well. While you’re on holiday, bacteria and acid are still at work and do not take days off.
As soon as you get back from your trip, get back on track with your usual oral hygiene care. In case you were not too faithful to your hygiene routine and you overindulged in sweets and starchy foods, just going back to your routine at home may give peace of mind.
See our Bellevue Dentist Before and After a Long trip
When you have been away too long or might not have paid us a visit before you embarked on your trip, do see your Bellevue dentist when you come back. It’s best to ascertain your oral health at this time.
