Dental health emergencies while travelling

Travel! Oh, how everyone loves this word.

But with the highs of travel, come the lows of dental health emergencies that may create a huge hole in your wallet and/or may force you to cut short a trip; be it leisure, business or work related.

Not only does this affect the intended purpose of travel but it may also leave you feeling exasperated.

So what should one do if such a situation arises? Before this question can be answered, it is important to know what conditions fall under dental health emergencies.

There are numerous dental emergencies that one may encounter while on travel. Accidents, sports related injuries, tooth decay and infection are to name a few.

The most common dental health emergencies to have been reported are:

• Knocked out tooth

• Chipped / broken tooth

• Object caught between teeth

• Bitten lip / tongue

• Toothache

• Abscess

It is very crucial to get professional help when one of the above situations arises but it is also equally important for one to do their part especially if one has limited access to a dental facility.

Tips for common dental emergencies

•For knocked out permanent tooth, rinse the tooth immediately with water.

If you can, try placing it back in the socket without touching the root. If not, then place it in a container of cow’s milk and see a dentist.

The chances of saving a knocked out tooth are greatly increased if it is placed back in its socket within an hour.

• For a chipped or broken tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area. Cold compresses on the face using ice are very helpful to keep any swelling down.

• If an object is caught between the teeth, try removing it gently with a dental floss.

Avoid using sharp objects or pointed instruments as these may cut your gum or scratch the tooth surface.

• In case of a bitten lip / tongue, it is very important to control the bleeding first by applying pressure with a clean gauze.

Cold compresses with an icepack will help to reduce swelling on the outside.

• Toothache is usually caused when the nerve of a tooth is irritated. This could be due to an infection or tooth decay. Warm saline rinses usually help to relieve the pain to some extent. Never put any painkiller against the gums near an aching tooth as it may burn the gum tissue.

• Abscess is an infection that occurs around the root of a tooth or in the spaces between the teeth and gums. If left untreated, it can damage tissue and the surrounding teeth, with infection possibly spreading to other parts of the body.

This is a serious condition and requires immediate medical attention.

A note for travellers

Phew! The above information may be terrifying for all those that are in the midst of packing their bags for an upcoming trip, but it is for reasons like these that travel insurance was introduced.

Travel insurance covers emergency dental conditions and is restricted to treatment of pain, infection and removal of the affected tooth / teeth.

The premium may vary depending on which part of the WorId you’re travelling to and the age of the person. In addition to the above, it is recommended to see your dentist for a routine checkup before you leave; whether you’re planning to travel out of the country or going on an extended vacation. T

his ensures that problems can be fixed easily before they become emergencies.

On that note, keep calm and travel on! Life is short and the world is huge.

The author is a dentist based at Ebrahim Haji Charitable Health Centre