Holiday travel season is in full gear, and many of us will be on the road or in the air over the next few weeks. While that’s an ideal chance to reconnect with friends and family during the festive time of the year, it can also be difficult for our oral health. Specifically, maintaining oral health habits while traveling can be challenging. Travel disrupts our schedules and routines, and exciting new experiences can make it easy to let our dental healthcare routines slide. Here are some tips for maintaining oral health habits while traveling so that you and your teeth can enjoy the holiday season to its fullest.
Make a dental check before the trip
First of all, if you haven’t already, make a dental appointment for an exam and cleaning before the holiday travel season begins. Your dentist can examine your teeth, identify potential issues, and help you address them before your trip. You can ask questions about oral health habits during the holidays, and get answers that address your specific needs. An end-of-year appointment may also help you make the most out of your dental health insurance benefits–an important consideration for many of us!
Keep your tools easy to reach
When your holiday adventure begins, there may be a lot to see and do and you may find it easy (or tempting) to ignore your oral health care routine for a bit. While you should enjoy everything the holiday season offers and all the opportunities that travel offers, sticking to an oral health routine is best. Towards that end, it may help to keep your toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss within easy reach. Small travel-sized products are widely available and easy to store in a purse, laptop bag, or jacket pocket. Keeping them with you may serve as a reminder to maintain a regular and effective brushing and flossing routine, and having oral health care supplies at hand will make regular brushing and flossing much more convenient.
Set a reminder
In this blog, we often talk about the technology of dentistry, but we’re generally introducing or explaining the technology we use in our practice. Now it’s time to talk about some of the technology you likely have available to you, and how it can help you maintain oral health habits while traveling. It can be as simple as setting an alarm on your watch, phone, or travel alarm clock that reminds you to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day. Some phone apps can deliver detailed reminders like “Don’t forget to brush and floss” at specific times throughout the day. You can adjust for time zones, use similar reminders for other health care needs like medications, and ensure that you remember to brush and floss no matter where you are in your travels.
Maintain a healthy diet
Finally, let’s talk about maintaining a healthy diet while traveling. A diet for good oral health includes lean proteins and lots of veggies while limiting sugars, starches, and foods that might stain or discolor your teeth. It can be difficult to do while traveling, but you can make it easier with a little planning. Bringing health and tooth-friendly snacks with you can go a long way, as can ensuring that you have a water bottle and are staying hydrated. A little advanced research can let you locate restaurants and grocery stores with healthy food options ahead of your arrival so you know where to eat when you arrive. It takes a bit of planning, but it’s fairly easy and pays off in the long term. Travel is meant to be enjoyed as much as possible, especially at this time of the year. We hope these tips help you do just that!
