If you’ve decided to travel, it can be easy to get caught up in your itinerary and forget life’s most important factor: your oral health.
In order to take some of the responsibility off of your shoulders, our San Antonio family dentist Dr. Kevin Sandefer and our team here at Alon Dental Care are happy to inspect and clean your pearly whites before you and your family set out for a holiday vacation.
At the same time, there is much that you can do to ensure that your oral health and dental routines stays intact while everyone is traveling for the holidays. For a more hands-on approach, we have listed three oral health tips that you can use when traveling this holiday season and beyond.
1. Pack With Your Mouth in Mind
Even though packing for a big trip and ensuring that the family brings everything they need can be overwhelming for parents, don’t forget about packing the oral hygiene essentials.
Listed below are some of the things that you should pack in order to meet a good oral health standard while on your journey:
- A new or gently used toothbrush
- Dental floss and wooden toothpicks
- Your favorite cavity-fighting toothpaste
- Antibacterial mouthwash
- An OTC painkiller such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen in the unfortunate case of a toothache
- An anesthetic such as Orajel in case of a canker sore
- Your dentures, retainer, mouthguard, or night guard
- A bag/container to keep all of your oral supplies safe and in one place
Remember that if you are with your loved ones, they may forget some of these essentials, so be sure to pack extra!
2. Get a Full Dental Checkup Before You Depart
Because routine teeth cleanings should be spaced out every 6 months, the holiday season is usually the best time to schedule this beneficial checkup before you head out.
A visit to your dentist before you travel can avoid a multitude of oral disasters on your vacation. That troublesome cavity could worsen while away, and having our San Antonio family dentist check it out and treat it before you depart can ultimately save the tooth.
Additionally, it could to your benefit to get a quick and easy teeth whitening session in to look your best when you and your family take vacation photos.
3. Plan for a Mishap
Being proactive about your oral health could save you tons of heartache in the long run. This is especially true if you are traveling with young children, who may be accident-prone, or older people, who may face many dental issues.
Before you take off, make a list of the highest-rated dentists in the area you will be visiting. It is also essential to review if your insurance plan will cover any unfortunate dental emergencies while away. Although this may be mildly time consuming, this responsible research will allow you to truly let go and relax on your travels knowing that your oral health is accounted for.
Happy Holidays from Alon Dental Care!
Our San Antonio family dentist Dr. Sandefer has helped many individuals overcome dental emergencies while they were on vacation. He and his dental hygiene team believe your oral health is paramount and are happy to help you in-house during your checkup to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have before you leave on vacation this holiday season.
We wish you the safest travels this holiday season, and hope that these three tips can help keep you and your loved ones smiling brightly! Contact Alon Dental Care
at (210) 979-0707 for your checkup, cleaning, or cosmetic dentistry needs today!