The holidays are upon us. For some, traveling is a part of the seasonal itinerary. While you plan your trip, be sure to include dental care because it can be very easy to forget about your teeth on the road. Also, plan what you might do in a dental emergency. For example, do you know what you would do if you were 500 miles from home with a cracked tooth? Here are some hygiene and dental emergency tips when traveling during the holidays.
No one ever plans on having a dental emergency away from home, but it does happen. It’s hard to plan for it, but you can prepare how you would respond. Sometimes just know what to do is comforting.
If you are flying, you may experience some tooth pain because of pressure changes, but that should stop when you land. If it doesn’t, try brushing and flossing in the airport restroom. If the ache lingers too long, and you can’t wait till you get back home, you may want to see a dentist.
This requires immediate attention. Call a dentist. In the meantime, rinse your mouth out with cold water. Put a cold compress on the outside of your cheek where the broken/cracked tooth is to keep swelling down.
If your tooth gets knocked out entirely: 1.Hold the tooth by the crown, but don’t touch tissue fragments; 2. Rinse quickly if contaminated by dirt; 3. Put the tooth back in the socket if possible. If not, put the tooth in a cup of milk; 4. See a dentist immediately.
A dental emergency can be stressful, but if you prepare ahead of time the incident can be less traumatic. If you need to schedule an appointment with Dr. Blevins before you leave, please do so online or call us today at 843-561-4039.
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