It was just six months ago that I was cautioning those planning fall holiday travel to make sure they’re up to date on their dental check-ups. Now, the summer’s upon us with the end of school approaching (and having ended for many college students) and it’s a good idea to make sure your mouth is in top-notch condition before you hit the road or maybe head off on a cruise.
Making sure you’ve had your recommended cleaning and exam to date can prevent a dental emergency away from home – especially if you are traveling to another country or on that wonderful cruise ship.
If you are traveling in the United States a dental emergency might only be an annoyance with your insurance or out-of-pocket expenses away from your regular dentist (although these might be a bigger pain than you might believe possible), but travel outside the U.S. might increase your cost or provide you with a decreased level of service than you are used to with your regular dentist.
You can also do some research online before your trip if you might be susceptible to dental issues such as how flying can cause you pain if you have an abscess in your mouth (however, you’re most likely to have had that taken care of before your flight). If you have recently had treatment from your dentist, it would be wise to give him or her a call and find out if you should have any concern about travel.
Finally, there are those who insist that Murphy’s Law could likely prevail – as soon as you get to your destination or your cruise ship leaves port, something will happen! So, the best way is to be prepared!
