Dental Health Tips & Tricks For Travelers

Whether you're a roaming globe trotter, travel frequently for business, or take your twice yearly vacation - it's important to be equipped with the tools necessary to bring your oral hygiene routine with you. Just think of it for a moment, do you brush your teeth the same way when you're traveling as you do when you're at home? Probably not. When unstuck from our routine, it's easy to to be lazy or forget proper oral hygiene tactics. This is especially true when you have various planes to catch, you're stuck on a train, or going out for a delicious local morsel. 

There are definitely smart ways to work around the inconveniences of travel to make sure that you're continuing to practice good dental care. This process starts before you even hit the road and it works best if you continued when you get back! 

How To Prepare Before You Leave

• Choose Travel-Sized Dental Products, They Aren't Over-Rated

We're lucky to be living in a time where we have so many products available to us that offer so much functionality at varying sizes. For example we have an awesome little travel kit that you can easily fish out of your carry on or travel bag anytime you need to. Your dentist can recommend the best cases to use for your mini hygiene products. It's also smart to remember that regular sized toothpaste tubes are normally not allowed on most aircraft's, so make your way through security with ease and stock up on your travel dental gear. Make sure to equip yourself with enough oral hygiene products to last the entire extent of your trip.

We recommend bringing the usual helpful and hygienic suspects like your miniature natural toothpaste, a small package of floss, and mouthwash. 

What To Remember While Traveling

• Store & Clean Your Toothbrush Properly
  The ADA recommends storing your toothbrush upright and air-drying it after each use. This is due to bacteria building up in dark and wet spaces, much like a travel case or toiletry bag. We recommend that while you travel, you take your toothbrush out of your travel case at each location when you get settled in. You can also use devices such as a portable UV sanitizer to destroy germs and dry out the bristles even during transit. 

• Schedule Your Brushing & Flossing, Be Strict About It

  One of the biggest causes for drop off in oral hygiene care while traveling is because there is no set schedule for daily activities, including your regular every day habits like brushing. Stick to your regimen by setting phone reminders or making it brush brush, floss, and rinse within 30 minutes of each meal. 

• Use Drinking Water For Brushing 

  We're big fans of conserving as much water as possible during your brushing process, and using less plastic so we recommend bringing your own water container. This can be helpful for camping trips, or if you need to brush and rinse your teeth in a more remote, or dire situation. Do this in any compromised area where the water supply may not be as reliable. If you think your toothbrush may have been exposed to unsafe water, replace it immediately or clean and sanitize it. 

What Do Upon Your Return 

• Go Check In With Your Dentist 
  Traveling, especially for vacation and adventuring is in part about indulging in new foods and beverages, including sweet and acidic new cuisines. That's why it can be a positive practice to make an appointment with your dentist to evaluate where you could use some work, what areas to focus on, and what tools are best for doing so. That way your dentist can also be aware of any damage that your teeth may have incurred during your travels as well. 

Full scale oral care is something that you can and should take with you everywhere. Do you have any travel life-hacks that you have found to be helpful for keeping those pearly whites pearly white? Let us know! We love to hear from you!