Coping With A Dental Emergency Abroad

What to do if you have an unexpected dental problem on holiday.

If we suffer from an accident such as a broken tooth, or if we wake up with toothache whilst we are at home, a quick call to The Clock Tower Dental Clinic to arrange an emergency appointment means that any discomfort should only be temporary.

This is not so easy when we are away from home though, and especially if we are in another country, whether on holiday or business. Today’s blog looks at what you should do if you do suffer a dental issue whilst you are abroad.

Have a check-up before you go!

Unless you have had your regular check up quite soon before you go, it is a good idea to have your teeth checked at our Epsom practice before your holiday, especially if you are going for a longer period of time or to a less developed part of the world. Even the treating of a small cavity before you go can save a lot of discomfort. Cavities in the teeth can expand with pressure changes in an aeroplane and can cause a lot of discomfort when flying. Particularly if you are on a long haul flight, this is not a good start to your holiday!

Dental pain

Even if you look after your teeth well and have had your check up, we all know that accidents can happen when we least expect them to. A tooth can break for example or even an old filling fall out. Although we may not be able to prevent these, we can take some steps that can help, should the situation arise.

1 – Take a dental repair kit with you. These are available from chemists and include some pre-made amalgam like material. This is especially useful if you are in a more remote area where dental coverage is poor. It is best if you can get someone to do this for you as you won’t be able to see too well if you do it yourself. These kits are useful where a filling has come out, but however well you think you have replaced the filling, make sure to see one of our Epsom dentists on your return. With the best will in the world, you will almost certainly have left some small gaps around the filling which will harbour bacteria and eventually lead to further decay. So these types of kits are certainly handy but are only for temporary relief.

2 – Plan in advance by researching some local dental clinics. These may vary in standard, often depending on where you are. The British embassy may be able to provide you with a list, or, if not, your hotel or a local expat community may be able to help.

3 – Take painkillers with you, but do make sure that these do not contravene any local laws. Depending on the type of problem and the severity, you may wish to defer treatment until you can visit The Clock Tower Dental Practice on your return. If the problem occurs at the start of your holiday, this may not be a practical option and you may need to see a local dentist, so try to research what is available in advance.

Hopefully your holiday will be trouble free, but no-one can predict when these things might happen. It is always best to be prepared and a pre-holiday dental check is a good place to start. You can arrange your appointment to see one of our Epsom based dentists by calling us on 01372 720136.