Dealing With A Dental Emergency While On Vacation
Posted on: 20 May 2015
Going on vacation gives you a chance to rest and relax, all while escaping the stress of your everyday life. Unfortunately, your body might not always get the memo that it's vacation time, and emergencies can arise.
If you find yourself in need of dental help while on vacation, here are two things you can do to minimize the stress associated with finding a dentist away from home.
1. Practice good oral hygiene if you lose a filling.
A loose filling can easily become dislodged during your vacation. Whether you lose a filling biting into a new delicacy, or it simply falls out during the night, you will likely want to have a dentist refill the tooth to prevent discomfort.
As soon as you notice that you are missing a filling, rinse your mouth with a warm saltwater solution. This will help remove bacteria from the area, and prevent additional decay. You can use a small piece of sugarless gum to plug the hole left behind by the lost filling while you make calls to locate a dentist. The gum will keep food particles and other contaminants away from exposed roots or nerves, which can be helpful in reducing pain.
2. If you happen to have a tooth knocked out while on vacation, save the tooth and take it with you to the dentist.
Vacations are often filled with activities that could pose a risk to your dental health. High-adrenaline, extreme activities that bring joy during a vacation can often result in a tooth being knocked out. If you should experience this type of dental emergency while traveling, be sure that you keep the tooth and take it with you to the dentist.
A skilled dental professional can usually place a tooth back in the socket after it has been knocked out if patients follow a few simple instructions. First, only handle the crown of the tooth, never the roots. This helps reduce the risk of infection after the tooth is replaced. Second, be sure to keep the tooth moist. Keeping the tooth between your gum and cheek, or placing it in a bowl of milk, will prevent delicate tissue surrounding the roots from drying out.
Finally, seek dental help as quickly as possible. Seeing a dentist within 30 minutes of having a tooth knocked out increases the likelihood that the tooth can be placed back in its proper position.
Knowing that dental emergencies can happen while on vacation will help you be better prepared to cope with a lost filling or knocked out tooth in the future. Speak with a dentistry professional to learn more.
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