It is difficult to face a dental emergency when you’re far from home. It feels disconcerting when you cannot go to your preferred dentist. And that’s not even taking into account the fact that you might not have insurance coverage while travelling. The perfect vacation does not include dealing with dental problems. But life throws curveballs all the time, so you have to be prepared for emergencies like these when you’re out of town or country.
Pre-travel Plans
Go to your dentist before you travel. Get your dentist to check your teeth, gums, and other parts of your mouth. Make sure you have a clean bill of dental health before you go travelling. It’s one thing to have leg cramps because of too much walking in the streets of Rome. It’s another thing to not enjoy all the gelato you can get your hands on because of a toothache.
If you have kids with you on your travel, take them to a dentist for kids, too. Maybe you can self-medicate when you encounter a dental problem at home. You may even bear with the pain. But when it comes to kids and dental problems, asking them to bear the pain until you go home is not an option.
Home Remedies
The best thing about the internet is the resources that it makes available to everyone. Search for home remedies that you can do in your hotel room. For many people, a saltwater rinse is effective to relieve the pain of a toothache. You can also use clove, garlic, hydrogen peroxide, and vanilla extract to ease the pain. Cold compress is another popular first-line treatment for toothache.
It will help also to bring some medicines when you travel abroad. That takes away the need to find a pharmacy store for painkillers. It is especially hard to find the medicine you need when there’s a language barrier. How do you say painkillers in Mandarin, for example?
Research Ahead
At the very least, you need information about the nearest emergency care available in the area where you are staying. This is not just for dental emergencies. You need this information, too, when you encounter other health problems. It will help to know who to call or where to go in case you need immediate medical care.
Check Your Insurance
Does your travel insurance cover dental care abroad? Very few will have that comprehensive a coverage. You need to call your insurance provider to get information about the kind of coverage you can expect while travelling abroad. At the very least, this will put your mind at ease when traveling.
It’s never easy to encounter medical-related problems while travelling. Though a bit anxiety-inducing, remember to treat the problem the way you would address it if you’re back home. Find out who you need to call or where to go, explain your situation as clearly as you can, ask for a translator if you need one, and listen to what the dentists or doctors will tell you.
