Whether it is a weekend away or a long-haul holiday, travelling with dentures just takes a little extra planning. A few simple precautions before you leave can save a lot of stress if something goes wrong while you are away from your usual routine, and in most cases, packing sensibly means you will not think about it again once you have set off.
Before you go
It is worth having your dentures checked before any significant trip, particularly if you have noticed any looseness, clicking or discomfort recently. A small problem that is easy to manage at home can become much more disruptive halfway through a holiday, so a quick appointment beforehand is time well spent.
If you are travelling internationally, it is also sensible to check that your travel insurance covers dental emergencies, since standard policies do not always include this as a matter of course.
What to pack
Your denture case should always travel in hand luggage rather than a checked bag, both to avoid it being lost and because your dentures should never sit in an unpressurised hold for hours at a time. Along with the case itself, it is worth packing your usual cleaning brush, cleaning tablets or solution, and a small travel size container so you can soak your dentures overnight wherever you are staying, even without your usual equipment at home.
A spare tube of denture adhesive is a sensible addition if you use one, along with a small repair kit, since even a minor emergency fix can keep you comfortable until proper repairs are possible. Keeping the details of your Clinical Dental Technician or dental practice with you, including a phone number, means you have something to hand if you do need advice while abroad.
During your trip
Time zones can throw off a routine that has become second nature at home, so it helps to build denture cleaning into whatever your new daily rhythm becomes, rather than relying on remembering to do it at the same time as usual. Warm climates are worth being mindful of too, since dentures left in direct sunlight or a hot car can warp. A denture case kept somewhere cool and out of direct heat avoids this entirely.
If you are staying somewhere with uncertain access to clean tap water, it is worth using bottled water for rinsing and soaking rather than risking it, particularly in destinations where the local water quality is not something you would usually drink yourself.
If something goes wrong
A cracked or ill-fitting denture while travelling is stressful but rarely an emergency in the medical sense, and in most cases it can wait until you are home rather than needing urgent treatment abroad. If you do need help while away, many destinations popular with UK holidaymakers have dental practices used to seeing visiting patients, though costs and standards vary considerably, so this is very much a last resort rather than a first option.
Keeping a spare set of dentures, if you have one, is one of the most reassuring things a long-term denture wearer can pack, particularly for extended trips or a once in a lifetime holiday where being without teeth for even a day or two would be disappointing.
Coming home
If your dentures have taken any knocks while away, even minor ones that have not caused an obvious problem, it is worth having them checked once you are back. Small stresses can sometimes lead to cracks appearing later, and catching this early avoids a bigger repair down the line.
At Smiles Better, we are always happy to check your dentures before a trip or repair them once you are home. Call us on 0161 796 2404 to book an appointment at our Whitefield practice or alternatively use the Contact Form and we will respond as soon as we can!