Now that summer vacation is upon us, many families are making travel plans. And as fun as they are, vacations can disrupt your oral health care routine.
Being away from home can make it easier to neglect your oral health and may take a toll on your teeth. But even while you travel, you don’t have to take a vacation from good oral hygiene. Below are some easy tips to help keep your family’s teeth clean and healthy while traveling.
• Pack properly: Be sure to pack extra travel toothbrushes, paste, and floss where you can get to them easily. In case you wake up in-transit or lose your luggage, you will still have easy access to oral health care.
• Protect your toothbrush: Toothbrush caps are great for protecting brush bristles from germs and damage in your bag. Once you arrive at your destination though, it’s best to uncap. Covering wet bristles can trap moisture and encourage bacteria growth.
• Bring disposable products: If you’ll be traveling in a place where you won’t have access to clean water or a sink, taking steps to clean your teeth is still important. Be sure to pack floss and look for products like disposable toothbrushes or tooth wipes, which don’t require paste or water.
• Watch what you eat: While on vacation, people tend to change their eating habits and indulge more. The increased exposure to sugar can affect your teeth. Try to limit the number of times your family enjoys sweets while away from home.
• Pack healthy snacks: Pack a cooler or bag of snacks, but be selective. Choose tooth-friendly foods like baby carrots, celery, and apples or healthy snacks like string cheese, yogurt tubes, whole-grain crackers, or plain nuts. Pass on soda and sugary drinks and opt for water or sugar-free beverages instead.
• Try treats for your teeth: Chew sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol on long flights or car rides to help stimulate saliva production and rinse away food particles.
• Rinse with water: Even if all you have is water, rinsing well after eating or drinking can help rinse away sugars until you are able to brush.
Do you have more traveling tips? Leave them in the comments!