Call for an appointment: Lenexa, KS (913) 631-2677

Essential Dental Travel Tips That Can Save Your Vacation

Don't Let a Killer Toothache Ruin Everything!

Your dream vacation should be filled with lots of relaxation, great experiences and wonderful family memories. Don't let a dental emergency ruin the entire trip for you and your loved ones. Dr. Bridenstine knows what it's like to have a toothache on a vacation. He said, "A few years ago I was scuba diving with my wife and the increased atmospheric pressures during the depth of the dive triggered a terrible toothache in one of my molars. I was in constant pain until I returned home and received emergency care."

Saving the Pearly Whites On the Seven Seas

Have you ever been out of town on a vacation and experienced a dental emergency? No problem. Just go to the local dentist and have him or her take care of the problem. That is, if you are on land. But what do you do if you're hundreds of miles out to sea on a Western Caribbean cruise and your lower molar decides to go south?

On most luxury liners your vacation would be over. The ship's physician may prescribe a heavy duty pain killer to give you some relief and to prevent you from "walking the plank," but you're still going to feel groggy and miserable.

If you happened to be sailing on Holland America Line, (HAL), your vacation could be saved. Holland America is the only cruise line in the world with a dental clinic aboard each ship. Each dental clinic is state-of-the-art and well stocked with supplies. Best of all, each ship has an American dentist on board to handle any type of dental emergency.

Lenexa Kansas dentist, Dr. Kelly Bridenstine is a member of Sea Dentist Inc. This organization in conjunction with Holland America allows American dentists to provide gratis dental services in the on-ship dental clinics for the Indonesian and Filipino crew members and staff who would never in their own countries receive proper and basic dental care.

During a seven-day cruise, Dr. Bridenstine donates his time, money and dental services in the ship's dental clinic to provide modern, high tech, dental care to the ship's crew members and staff. He is also available on the ship to provide immediate care for any of the guests with dental emergencies.

His most recent cruise was in August 2004 where he and his wife sailed for seven days on an Alaskan cruise on Holland America's Oosterdam ship and provided many dental services for the crew and for many guests with dental emergencies.

 

Dear Dr. Bridenstine: "As you know I had the misfortune of having an abscessed tooth on my Alaskan cruise. Fortunately, I had the good fortune of having a great dentist on board. First of all, you were very professional and most knowledgeable. Thank you for staying after hours to help me. For a call beyond duty and relieving my pain, I thank you." Sincerely, George Easley - Lincoln Nebraska.

Dr. Robert Plekker, President of Sea Dentist, Inc. has stated, "We accept the best, most distinguished, advanced-in-training, stand-out dentists in the country with a reputation of "caring hands," a giving spirit and with many life-time hours of continuing education credits." These qualified dentists will be assigned to one of twelve ships. New ships are coming out of the HAL shipyards, (one every nine months) through the year 2005.

Dental Travel Tips That Can Save Your Vacation
Ignore Any One of These Travel Tips and Your Entire Trip Will Be Ruined - Guaranteed!
  1. If it's been over six months since you've had a check-up, exam, x-rays and a cleaning, go see your dentist. It's a lot easier to take care of a small cavity, a sensitive tooth, a chipped denture or a loose crown than dealing with these issues on your vacation.

    Your dentist must do a thorough exam and take a close look at the cavity detection x-rays called bitewings. In the world of dentistry, pain is the last symptom. Undetected tooth decay can finally work its way down the center of the tooth until it reaches the tooth nerve. The tooth nerve then becomes infected and inflamed and tries to swell, but it can't because it is surrounded by the tooth. That's why the tooth throbs. The treatment of choice to relieve the throbbing pain is to have root canal therapy and a new crown placed over the weakened tooth.

    You can have cavities and tooth decay and not even know it because there is no sensitivity or pain present. Only your dentist with the help of x-rays can find these areas of decay and recommend permanent treatment. Usually all that is required to restore the tooth back to its normal form and function is for your dentist to painlessly place a permanent filling in your tooth.

    Make sure you also have a good teeth cleaning by your dentist or by your dental hygienist. A good cleaning will remove tarter and plaque buildup that can cause future tooth decay, bleeding gums and gum disease. Gum disease is also a painless disease in its early and intermediate stages. Gum disease if allowed to continue without treatment, will cause the teeth to become loose and eventually fall out. Research has indicated that gum disease is also a contributing factor to heart disease.
     
  2. A sensitive tooth can escalate into a raging toothache through dramatic changes in atmospheric pressures. That means flying in an airplane higher than 30,000 feet or while scuba diving deeper than 33 feet.

    The tiny root canals in the center of your teeth contain nerves and blood vessels. These canal systems bring moisture to your teeth giving them strength and flexibility. The nerves provide the sensations of hot and cold. Just as if you sprained an ankle; your ankle swells. The root canal system reacts in the same way. Any inflammation present inside your tooth can cause slight sensitivity. When sudden changes in atmospheric pressure occur, then the inflammation is intensified and pressure within your tooth occurs.

    When a scuba diver dives deeper than 33 feet, the pressure doubles from one atmospheric pressure to two atmospheric pressures. Below 66 feet the atmospheric pressure triples. A slightly sensitive tooth can quickly turn into a raging toothache.

    If there's the slightest concern about a sensitive area in your mouth, go see your dentist. It may be just be a simple procedure to fill in a small crack or replace an old filling. You may have an old crown or cap where the borders down by the gum line may be open and not tightly sealed. Some simple restorative dentistry can be the key in preventing a future toothache.

    Many people with healthy teeth still experience toothaches when flying in commercial aircraft with pressurized cabins. If you fall within this category, then take 600 mg of gel cap ibuprofen, (usually 3 tablets), thirty minutes before takeoff. This will prevent the nerves in your teeth from swelling during the sudden change in atmospheric pressure. These three gel caps should do the job for flights under three hours long. If your flight is for more than three hours, then take another 600mg of gel cap ibuprofen thirty minutes before landing.

    Scuba divers can also take 600 mg of gel cap ibuprofen along with some anti- histamines thirty minutes before a dive to prevent sensitive teeth and undo pressure on the sinuses.
     
  3. If you're wearing a temporary filling or temporary crown, pick up a box of dental temporary filler and crown adhesive at your local drug store. That will serve as your "safety-net" back up if your temporary filling or crown becomes loose and pops out. Better yet, have the permanent filling or crown completed before you go on your trip.

    If your crown pops out during dinner and there's no dental office in site and you didn't bring your temporary crown adhesive, don't panic. If you can find a tube of toothpaste and one toothpick you're in luck. Just squirt a little toothpaste on the toothpick and coat the inner side of your crown with the toothpaste and then fill up one third of the crown with the toothpaste. Now place the crown back on your tooth, (the longer side is usually on the cheek side), and push it down with your finger. Once the crown is seated, take your finger out of your mouth and then gently close down with your teeth to firmly position the crown to its proper place. Then brush out the excess toothpaste with a toothbrush. The toothpaste in the crown will take about thirty minutes to set up. Then no chewing sticky foods on that tooth until you can get back to your dentist who will use permanent crown cement to place the crown back on your tooth.
     
  4. If you wear a denture, bring along your back up "immediate denture." You never know when your original denture will suddenly break or become lost. It's not a bad idea to always have two sets of dentures at all times. For denture wearers, don't forget to pack denture adhesive powder and super glue. Adhesive powder to keep your dentures in if they ever get loose and super glue to place a denture tooth back into the pink acrylic base if a tooth pops out. Have your dentist thoroughly check your dentures before you leave.
     
  5. There are essential items that must be included in your dental travel kit. First of all make sure you pack two toothbrushes. Not all destinations have a 24-hour convenience store on every corner. Other items include toothpaste, floss, toothpicks, lip balm and a dental first aid kit just in case a crown or a filling comes out.
     
  6. Make sure you pack a bottle of ibuprofen, (Advil), or acetaminophen, (Tylenol), just in case you do experience any dental discomfort and don't have immediate access to emergency dental care.

    If you do experience a toothache and can't sleep, take some pain-killers and then keep your head above your heart. That means using two pillows or more. Lying down prone allows gravity to increase the pressure on the tooth nerve causing more throbbing and pain. A good way to battle a toothache is to alternate 600 mg. of Tylenol and 600 mg. of Advil every three to four hours. This regiment gives a deeper and more long lasting method of relief until you can receive professional help.

    Please do not place an aspirin next to your sore tooth. The aspirin will literally burn a hole into your gums and cheek. This old wife's tale and remedy myth is still being perpetuated even in these modern times. Yes, your tooth doesn't hurt as bad because now you have a pain that is three times worse in your gums and in your cheek.

    Oragel, Kanka and Anbesol are over the counter topical anesthetics that can be placed on a sore tooth to help bring some relief. Again, on a vacation in a foreign country, these products are usually not available.
     
  7. There are many food items that can cause dental disasters on your vacation. The number one "tooth-buster" is ICE. That's right. Chewing on ice breaks and splits more teeth, shatters more fillings and ruins more dental work than anything else on this planet. Think of a crack in a windshield. After awhile the crack starts to get bigger and longer until the windshield shatters. A tiny crack in a tooth or on a filling gets bigger and bigger and longer down the long axis of the tooth with the help of ice. Finally, an entire tooth wall or large piece of a dental filling cracks off like a calving glacier exposing the middle part of your tooth. Now we're talking sharp tooth edges cutting the side of your tongue, sensitivity to cold and if left untreated, a future killer toothache on the horizon. Rule number one on your vacation should be, "Just say NO to ice chewing."

    Other food items to be aware of that wreak havoc on teeth and dental work is:

    • Hard Candy such as Jolly Ranchers and Gobstoppers and hard Christmas candy such as Candy Canes, Almond Roca. and Peanut Brittle. These are all just a notch below ice in the damage they can cause to teeth.
    • Soft Sticky Candy such as anything you can buy in a movie theater. Let's start with Tootsie Rolls, Gummy Bears, Carmel Corn, Salt Water Taffy, etc. All these types of sticky candy can pull out crowns and old fillings.
    • Other fun foods such as popcorn and its accompanying "old maid" kernels have been known to shatter many a teeth. Let's not forget unshelled sunflower seeds. These little culprits can crack a tooth just as fast as Gob Stoppers.
    • Be careful with hard bagels, carrot sticks, pretzel and crackers. If you bite into any of these the wrong way, you may end up with a cracked tooth or a chipped filling.
    • Lots of soda, colas and alcoholic beverages goes without saying that the teeth are constantly bathed in sugar and acidic ingredients and must be brushed off immediately to prevent the start of tooth decay.
       
  8. An abscessed tooth on your vacation is the ultimate toothache nightmare. An abscessed tooth is where the tooth nerve has completely died and extreme inflammation and pressure has built up inside the tooth. The infection in the middle of the tooth goes out the end of the root and into the jaw bone and surrounding facial tissues. The pain is usually intense and it hurts if a person leans forwards or tries to lie down. There is constant pain throbbing and radiating up towards the ear. The face becomes swollen and opening the mouth becomes difficult. You won't be able to eat because the slightest biting pressure any where near the abscessed tooth will cause severe pain.

    Over-the-counter pain medications usually don't provide much relief. This is where you must seek out professional help. If a dentist is not available, find a physician and try to get some prescription pain medications for the pain and antibiotics for the infection. If dental treatment is available, the treatment options are to have the tooth extracted or to begin root canal therapy.
     
  9. At most U.S. and Canadian drugstores you may purchase the following products in preparation for your vacation:

    • "Dentek" makes the "Temparin" Dental First Aid Kit. It includes temporary filling material to replace lost fillings and crowns. Includes toothache topical medication. You'll find a tooth and crown saver container to preserve a dislodged tooth or crown.
    • "Dentek" also has an "Oral Pain Relief Kit." This contains a topical pain killer that is applied with a cotton tip applicator at the "pain site."
    • "Dentek" also has wax for braces. If braces are cutting into the cheek or lip, just place the wax on the sharp area or over the "offending" brackets to obtain relief.
    • "Kanka," "Orajel," and "Anbesol" are products that are topical pain relievers that are applied at the area of pain for temporary relief.
    • "Cepacol" makes "Viractin" that can be applied to cold sores and fever blisters.
    • "Chapstick." Don't leave home without it.
    • For denture wearers you have a large selection of products that can help hold in loose dentures. Many of these products come in powders, creams and adhesive strips. You can purchase: Fixodent, Poligrip, Sea-Bond and EZO-Denture Cushions.
    • For dentures causing sores you may purchase: "Benzodent" denture pain relieving cream or "Orajel Denture Plus."
    • If your denture breaks, to make a temporary repair, you can buy: "Brimms-Fix Broken Denture Kit."
Don't Wait Until It Hurts!

All of these products only provide temporary solutions. Your dentist and the dental lab can only provide long lasting permanent solutions. If you are constantly using denture powder or adhesive to keep your dentures in, then you may need a reline or a new denture. If your tooth is sensitive to cold or when putting pressure on it while chewing, there may be a cracked filling, a cracked tooth or an ill-fitting crown. Teeth that throb under atmospheric pressures may have a nerve that is inflamed and require root canal therapy.

Again, in the world of dentistry, pain is the last symptom. Usually when a tooth becomes painful, and constantly throbs for no reason, there is an inflamed nerve involved. The treatment is root canal therapy. If you suspect any type of sensitivity or discomfort, go see your dentist. Don't let a toothache ruin your entire vacation!