Family Dental Health Tips When Traveling Abroad

Traveling is such an immersing activity, completely engrossing us in each new location and enabling us to take on life’s problems with renewed energy once we get back home.

The Daily Routine versus Freedom

The excitement and joy of traveling with the family is second-to-none but the trials and tribulations of sticking to a routine when on-the-road can be challenging.

Simple things like looking after our teeth can often fall by the wayside as routine is abandoned in favor of flexible schedules, and sensible eating in favor of convenience. There’s no doubt we should enjoy our travels to the fullest, but somehow we should factor in attending to things like teeth health – which we often take for granted until something goes wrong.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, but mouths are the gateway to the body

Teeth are the hardest part in our body – they are even harder than the skull but it is a fact that they are vulnerable to bacterial attacks. To keep our teeth safe we need to allocate a few minutes for thoroughly cleaning them every day. Only recently are discoveries being made linking oral health to general health, with the mouth giving away signs of other thing happening elsewhere in the body. Now, more than ever, we should make the extra effort to look after our teeth and gums.

Quick Dental Health Tips When You’re on the Move

• If your trip requires you to stay on transport for long durations you should keep a separate pouch with tooth paste tube and a tooth brush for each family member. Plan to brush teeth after every meal if possible, floss twice a day and refrain from eating or drinking sugary snacks or beverages between meals.
• Avoiding food items which stick to our teeth and/or include high sugar levels is always a good idea as they support dental decay by providing dangerous bacteria with the perfect conditions for colonization!
• If you crave such food items then plan to consume them when you can clean your teeth soon after eating. Soft drinks including fizzy drinks and fruit juices are a big threat to teeth as they are rich in sugar – and many of them are also acidic – leading to double trouble for dental health. Fresh fruits, vegetables, water and salads are a better and healthy alternative to packed cookies and beverages.
• If you do consume sugar, eating cheese immediately afterwards helps to minimize the danger, as does rinsing the mouth with water or chewing sugar-free gum.
• Regular check-ups are the cornerstone of good oral health, but there’s no reason why you can’t have your dental check-ups with a dentist abroad. In fact, it’s fair to say that in some parts of the world this is a regular occurrence with, for example, US families making trips over the US-Mexico border to have their oral health looked after by a Tijuana or Algodones dentist. Why is this? Because the quality is great and it’s a whole lot cheaper.

It’s worth bearing in mind that whether you’re visiting a Bangkok dentist or a Budapest dentist that many clinics often have free initial consultations and treatments such as fillings (even the tooth-colored ones) are a mere snip at sometimes as much as 90% less than the prices at home.

Most of us travel on a budget but it only costs a little time to keep your family’s oral health on-track. Better to spend it wisely than neglecting tooth care and it proving more costly in the long run.

Amanda Duffy is an expert in the field of dental tourism and has been writing on the subject for a number of years. She is currently a key figure in the editorial team at Dental Departures, a company specializing in dental tourism that help patients save money on their dental care by matching them up with the right clinic.