How to Take Care of Your Teeth While Traveling

Traveling may disrupt your usual routine, but that doesn’t mean you should let your oral hygiene slide. Oral health is just as important away from home. Here are some things you should do to take good care of your teeth while you’re traveling.

Reason #1

Visit the Dentist Before You Travel

Visiting your dentist before you travel is a good way to prevent dental emergencies from occurring while you’re gone. While it’s impossible to prevent all emergencies, a visit before your trip could alert you to any problems and could even fix them ahead of time.

Reason #2

Take Care of Your Travel Toiletries

Travel toiletries are popular because they’re small and easy to carry with you. However, because a travel toothbrush isn’t your usual toothbrush, you may not pay as much attention to how clean it is or how well you’re taking care of it. Travel toothbrushes tend to be shoved into toiletry bags and left there. This means that they don’t get the opportunity to air out like a normal toothbrush might.

Give Your Toothbrush Ventilation

Travel toothbrushes often come with cases. This is handy for while you’re actually on the go, but at your destination, you should leave the toothbrush out on the counter so it can get some air. Otherwise, moisture may build up in the bristles and allow bacteria to grow. Additionally, if you have a case for your toothbrush, make sure it’s got holes for ventilation.

Clean Your Toothbrush

It’s also a good idea to make sure that you clean your toothbrush. Some use hot water to sanitize the toothbrush while others use a mixture of water and peroxide. It’s a good idea to clean your travel toothbrush before and after your trip.

Reason #3

Pack Your Toothbrush in Your Carry-on

If you’ve got a long flight ahead of you, it’s a good idea to brush your teeth periodically while you’re en route. Having your travel toothbrush and floss handy will allow you to take care of any oral care needs that arise while you’re traveling. Additionally, you’ll be sure that the toothbrush is with you and won’t be missing if an airline loses your checked luggage.

Reason #4

Pack an Extra Toothbrush

Losing a toothbrush can be a rather common travel occurrence. Packing an extra one can help ensure that you have a toothbrush ready to use that isn’t going to be too hard on your gums. A hotel may provide you with a free toothbrush if you ask, but chances are good that the bristles could be very stiff, which could harm your enamel and your gums.

Reason #5

Eat Healthily

While being on vacation or traveling can be a good excuse to try new foods or even to eat unhealthily, it’s not necessarily a good idea. You might be on holiday, but eating too much sugar will still have a negative impact on your teeth.

Reason #6

Brush Your Teeth Even If You Forgot Toothpaste

If you forget to pack toothpaste but haven’t had a chance to buy some yet, you should still brush your teeth. Brushing with just water may not be quite as good as using toothpaste, but it’s much better than not brushing your teeth at all.

Reason #7

Learn About the Water Before You Go

Some parts of the world aren’t known for having particularly clean water. Depending on where you travel, it might not be safe to drink the water or to use it for brushing your teeth. Make sure to look up whether or not you can trust the water before you arrive. If the water isn’t safe, you should make sure that you have bottled water on hand.

Reason #8

Don’t Forget Floss

Flossing is just as important, if not more so, than brushing your teeth. Don’t neglect the flossing just because you’re traveling. Your teeth aren’t going to be on vacation even if you are.

Reason #9

Chew Sugar-Free Gum

If you’re not able to brush your teeth for a while, such as on a long-haul flight, then packing some sugar-free gum could help to keep your teeth clean while you travel. Chewing gum isn’t as good as brushing your teeth, but it’s better than not taking any action to clean your teeth at all.

It’s a good idea to chew sugarless gum after each meal to clean off your teeth if you’re not able to brush.

For informational purposes only.