Three Tips For A Healthy Mouth When Traveling
Whether you are on the road long term, taking a summer road trip, or simply traveling for business, it's important to make allowances for your health. Most people pack a simple first aid kit for road trips, and they even make sure to take along their insurance card in case they need to see a doctor. What many people do overlook, though, is their dental health when on the road. The following strategies can help you make sure you are covered if a dental emergency strikes when you are far from home.
#1: Check your insurance
If you are lucky enough to have a dental insurance plan, make sure you take both your insurance card as well as the phone number or website you will need to access to find a provider in your area. In some cases, you may not see providers available in the regions where you will be traveling. In this case, call ahead and find out what sort of out of network coverage is provided. This way you know what to expect if you need to use your benefits on the road.
#2: Contact your dentist
For those without insurance, don't despair. Your dentist may actually belong to a network or a chain of dental clinics. What this means is you can get the same service for a similar fee if there are other networked clinics in the area where you are traveling. If you are on any prescriptions for your dental health, such as medicated mouthwash, your dentist can also write you a copy of your prescription so you can pick it up at the pharmacy of your choice while on the road.
#3: Pack an emergency kit
Just like your normal first kit, you need to bring some first aid for your oral health. The best items to throw in this this kit are oral numbing gel, dental wax, and a filling cement. The numbing gel is there to alleviate any pain from a toothache. Dental wax can be used to create a temporary cover for a cracked tooth, missing crown, or damaged orthodontic appliance. The filling cement is a temporary "glue" that can hold a loose filling or crown in place until you can get to the dentist. All of these items are available at drug stores and pharmacies without a prescription.
Part of a good trip is making sure your needs are taken care of, so don't overlook your oral health needs. Visit a website like http://northwestdental.com/ for more information.
Share