Take care of your smile while on vacation.
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Vacation Tips to Keep Your Smile Healthy

It is easy when relaxing on vacation to slip out of routine, but it is important to maintain your oral hygiene wherever you are in the world. By following these few simple tips you can keep your smile looking healthy and bright while still enjoying a relaxing vacation.

Pack the Essentials

Depending on where you are traveling to, it can be difficult to get dental supplies or they may be much more expensive than you’re used to. To avoid this hassle and potential damage to your dental routine, be sure to pack everything you usually use so that you have it with you ready.

Packing your toothbrush and toothpaste seems obvious advice but they are things that are easy to forget in the pre-vacation excitement. Also remember to pack floss and mouthwash, as these are likely to be even more difficult to replace once you are away. There are many different types of toothpaste and mouthwash available across the world, but even if you can find a replacement it may not taste like what you’re used to.  Another useful and important item is sunscreen for your lips, which are part of your mouth, and should not be neglected while on vacation.

It is important to consider the cleanliness of your toothbrush while you travel. At home it is easy to keep it clean and dry between brushing, but when it has to be packed away this is not so simple. You can use a plastic bag to wrap your brush, but make sure you take it out to dry when you arrive at your destination. Consider purchasing a toothbrush cover, these are easily available and keep your brush separate, clean, and ventilated.

Keep to a Routine

The excitement of your new adventures may easily cause you to forget parts of your simple daily routine. Oral hygiene is extremely important so it’s essential to continue taking care of your teeth throughout your vacation. Brushing and flossing, as well as using mouthwash, are all equally important whether you’re at home or on vacation. It is also a good idea to keep your dentist’s contact details with you at all times, in case you need advice regarding symptoms or treatment.

Watch What You Eat

We all relax our diet when we’re on holiday and often end up eating and drinking much more sugar than usual. It is good to indulge a little while on vacation, but just be aware that any sugar you consume can affect your teeth. Try alternating sugary juices or cocktails with water or use a straw to keep most of the liquid away from your teeth.

Try packing healthy snacks in advance to take with you on days out. This will not only help your teeth but will help you save money. If you do decide to treat yourself to a sugary dessert, follow it with water to rinse away most of the sugar. This will help minimize the amount of sugar sitting on your teeth until you get the chance to brush.

Get a Checkup Before You Go

Very few people enjoy visiting the dentist, but it is important to keep up with regular checkups and visit the dentist whenever a problem arises. This is especially true just before you head out on vacation, as a dental problem away from home can be a real hassle and ruin your trip.

If you’ve had a slight toothache that you’ve been meaning to get checked, make sure you do it before well in advance of your trip to allow time for any treatment and healing that might be required. Dental treatment away from home can be difficult to find and expensive, and a sore tooth will likely negatively affect your adventures. Be prepared by reading this, just in case you do have a dental emergency while travelling.

Be Careful of Dental Care Myths

It is tempting to cut corners when on holiday to save time, but it is important to ignore the many myths about oral hygiene cheats and maintain good dental care. Using mouthwash is not the same as brushing, so don’t be tempted to skip brushing to save yourself some time. Remember that brushing once a day is not enough. Make sure you continue your oral hygiene in the morning and at night.

You may have heard that a twig can substitute for a toothbrush if you’re camping, and that fire ash can fill in for toothpaste. Before the invention of modern toothbrushes, people used a particular type of stick to clean their teeth. Any old twig will not do the job, and toothbrushes are significantly better than the old style cleaning sticks. Similarly, charcoal has been used in the past in place of toothpaste, but modern well-formulated toothpaste is specifically designed to clean your teeth thoroughly. Don’t rely on old wives tales – make sure you’ve packed a real toothbrush!

Oral hygiene is extremely important whether you’re at home or on vacation. With a little pre-planning and some careful choices, there is no reason why you can’t maintain a healthy oral routine without hindering your adventures.