Maintain Your Oral Health While Traveling

Are you constantly traveling for work, or currently preparing for a vacation? As you rush from airport to airport and check into hotels, you’ll quickly realize it’s tough to maintain your oral hygiene while on the road. It’s not easy to fit your entire bathroom into a toiletry bag! No matter your reason for travel, consider these tips to help maintain your oral health and keep your mouth fresh on the go.

• Ensure Your Dental Hygiene is Up to Date – A vacation can quickly be ruined if a toothache comes on. Contact your dentist in Thousand Oaks to schedule a checkup and teeth cleaning before you go. If your dentist discovers any dental hygiene issues, they can be fixed before you embark on your journey.
• Prevent Bacteria from Building on Your Toothbrush – At home, it’s easy to let your toothbrush air dry. Unfortunately, living out of a suitcase can make this difficult. Using a resealable plastic bag can reduce the amount of objects your wet toothbrush comes into contact with. In turn, you’ll reduce the bacteria on your toothbrush. Be sure to take your toothbrush out and let it dry when you get to your next destination.
• Keep Your Briefcase or Purse Stocked – You can dedicate a small pouch in your bag to your dental hygiene. There are one-time-use toothbrushes available at your local convenience store. You can also pick up travel-sized floss and sugar-free mints to help keep your mouth clean and fresh if you’re running from one appointment to another.
• Use Sugarless Gum – Chewing gum after a meal helps remove food that is stuck between your teeth, directly preventing cavities. Pick up a pack that is ADA-Accepted.
• Don’t Check Unless It’s Necessary – If you’re flying, there’s a chance that your checked luggage gets lost in transit. Not having access to clothes is one thing, but not being able to maintain your dental hygiene is far worse. Keeping your essentials with you in a carry-on ensures they’ll arrive to your destination. Be sure to pick up a travel-sized toothpaste that is less than 3.4 ounces and complies with TSA requirements.
• Take Advantage of Hotels – Many hotels will offer you complimentary toothbrushes and toothpaste if you forgot yours. These products are serviceable in a pinch. Using them is far better than not brushing at all. If you open your toiletry bag and realized you forgot your toothbrush, call down to the front desk and see if they can help you out. If you can’t secure a toothbrush, use your finger to apply toothpaste. If you don’t have toothpaste either, rigorously rinse with warm water.
• In Case of Emergency – You should always carry your dentist’s information contact information in case of emergency. If a dire situation were to occur, you can call your dentist and ask for advice. If nothing else, they may recommend another dentist in your area. If you are traveling abroad and an emergency occurs, it’s recommended that you contact a local consulate or U.S. embassy instead of the hotel’s front desk.