Holidays mean indulgence, but they shouldn’t mean that you take a break from taking care of your pearly whites! Travelling to new places makes an invigorating change from the daily routine, but you can’t leave all your routines behind – particularly those that pertain to dental care!

Here are our best tips for keeping your teeth in tip-top condition while holidaying:

Have a check-up before you leave

Anyone who’s seen the Tom Hanks film Castaway will know just how badly an untreated toothache can spoil your day. While it’s unlikely that you’d have to knock out your own tooth using an ice skate, an untreated problem can certainly ruin your holiday.

Your dentist will detect any decay and treat it before it’s an issue. before it becomes a problem. You might want to whiten your teeth before heading off – make sure this course is completed well before departure so that you don’t have any sensitivity issues while away.

Look at your travel insurance policy

Though reading guide books and planning your trip is far more appealing that than going through medical travel insurance documents, being prepared for unforeseen events is essential. You might have to pay through the nose to have your teeth given emergency treatment while abroad so make sure you’re covered.

Remember your toothbrush

It’s small and easy to leave behind, but make sure you pack a toothbrush. Why not treat yourself to a new one so you can pack it before you leave, rather than on the morning you leave? You can deck it out with a snazzy case to keep it separate from the other stuff in your case, too.

Travel tip: carry bottled water to brush your teeth with, if travelling to remote places where the quality of the drinking water can’t be guaranteed.

Don’t over-indulge

The food and drink you eat while on holiday can come back to bite you. Avoid too many sugary, fizzy drinks, and drink water between courses of acidic food and glasses of wine to minimise the risk of tooth decay.

Wine is particularly problematic for teeth, so if your’e travelling in Europe, bear this in mind! The good news is that cheese is great for your teeth, so sampling European cheeses both neutralises acids and provides calcium.

Enjoy

We all know that organising holidays can be teeth-grindingly stressful but try to have fun and relax. After all that’s what holidays are all about!

Vivienne Egan writes on behalf on Ethicare Dental.