With summer holidays around the corner, many teens are planning their first trip without their parents. This helps them gain exposure to various cultures during their travels, along with bucket loads of parent-free fun. However, it is a scary prospect for many parents. The concerns that most parents have are regarding safety, security, and health. Especially, oral health if the kid is going through orthodontic treatments. The primary concerns are being teased by other kids, speech problems, teeth pain, etc.
If you are a concerned parent or a teen traveling with braces, follow the tips below:
1. Carry your dental kit
Braces are very uncomfortable and can be challenging to deal with. So if you are traveling for an extended period of time be sure to consult your dentist first. Once your dentist makes sure that everything is in the right shape, you can go ahead with your plan.
For traveling do pack your dental essentials. These include:
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Mouthwash
- Elastics
- Interdental Brush
- Dental Wax
Keep all of these safe and clean because with braces you need to brush regularly after every meal to maintain your oral hygiene. This travel kit will ensure that your vacations go smoothly.
2. Be prepared for emergencies
Dental emergencies can happen anytime. A loose bracket or a broken wire is something that can happen any time. You might bite into a burger and see a bracket stuck to it. Do not let this ruin your vacation. Apply a little amount of dental wax on the bracket so that it does not poke your inner cheeks. Being ready for such emergencies will allow you to make the most out of your trip.
3. Carry over the counter pain relievers
While wearing braces, you may experience mild discomfort. It is normal and may go away soon. However if you recently visited your dentist and got your braces tightened, you may experience unbearable pain during your trip. You can take over the counter pain relievers if the pain is intense or you can do gargles with warm salty water. However, if your pain gets worse visit the orthodontists near you to get a dental checkup done.
4. Avoid sticky and crunchy food
Just because you are on vacation does not mean you can eat whatever you feel like eating. Chewing gums and sticky stuff is still off limits. Likewise eating hard crunchy things may loosen your brackets so stay away from that as well. You need to take care of the good foods and the bad foods. It doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy your vacations. You can find plenty of delicious food that won’t hurt your braces like sorbet, cheesecakes, fresh berries and ice creams. You can also keep some light snacks for yourself during the travel just in case you feel hungry and do not find food that suits your braces.
5. Pack gels for mouth ulcers
The constant swallowing of spit and chewing causes a lot of mouth sores because the brackets and wire feel rough against the lips, cheeks, and tongue. It’s like the mouth sores have become a part of you when you get braces. Dental wax comes in handy at these times, however, you may need to apply gel to your mouth ulcers to heal them sooner.
6. Tweezers can come in handy
Do not forget to keep a pair of tweezers in your hand carry. Just in case your wire comes out from the last bracket and starts poking your teeth and gums, use a pair of tweezers to reinsert the wire back into its place. If you cannot do that, place the wire above or below the bracket till you can visit an orthodontist near you.
7. Schedule an appointment as soon as you get back
Do visit your dentist after you are back from your vacations. All the mess that you might have created by eating all the junk food and the improper cleaning during your trip might call for an in-depth cleaning session at the dentist’s once you get back.
About the Author
About Ashley Rosa: Ashley Rosa is a freelance writer and blogger. As writing is her passion that why she loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on health-tech as well. She is crazy about chocolates. You can find her at twitter: @ashrosa2.
