Don’t Let a Dental Emergency Ruin Your Holiday

One thing is for sure, a dental emergency abroad will certainly be a lot more inconvenient than a quick check-up to ensure everything is as it should be in your mouth.

Just like falling ill on holiday, a dental emergency in a different country is something you will want to avoid at all costs.

The pain of toothache can be excruciating and if it strikes while on holiday will still need to be dealt with as soon as possible. Even worse, you could lose, break, or need a tooth taken out while abroad.

There are many reasons you want to avoid dental work overseas. If you’re in pain, you’re unlikely to be able to enjoy your trip, and it could mean no one else is able to enjoy their downtime. It will also be more expensive to see a dentist overseas. And finally, the language barrier could make dental work more daunting.

In this guide, we’re looking at the ins and outs of overseas dental work, so you can decide if you want to book a quick checkup before you leave to give you peace of mind.

What happens if I have a dental emergency on holiday?

A dental emergency should be dealt with promptly, and you shouldn’t wait until you get home to seek out treatment. Dental problems don’t go away without treatment, so you can expect the problem to get worse.

Your first step will be to track down a quality dentist, then get seen as soon as possible. The cost of treatment varies across the world but would certainly sink a dent into your holiday budget.

You can protect yourself by investing in comprehensive holiday insurance but make sure that dental care is part of the policy. The amount that you can claim will, most likely, be capped so avoidance is the best policy. You can do this by making sure your checkups are up-to-date before you go.

You might have dental coverage already and you’re simply not aware of it. Some credit cards offer travel insurance as a perk. You might also be covered for overseas travel if you have a dental insurance plan in the UK. Some home insurance policies will also offer travel cover as a perk.

Your travel insurance may offer support to help you find care overseas. They will be able to direct you to a trusted dental practice so that you can get support from a reliable supplier.

Important note: The EHIC scheme no longer offers coverage for patients overseas. This scheme allowed patients to access care in Europe and the cost would be claimed back from the NHS. Since Brexit, this is no longer an option, so you’ll need travel insurance with dental cover, no matter where you go.

Navigating language barriers overseas

If you have to visit a dentist, an emergency dentist or a hospital, you may be able to request an interpreter. Otherwise, you may be left relying on Google Translate to let your dentist know what the problem is.

It can be daunting to seek treatment overseas, as not knowing the language can make everything seem a little more scary. With a bit of patience and effort, you can often make yourself understood. You may also be lucky and find a dentist with English language skills.

If you are staying in a heavily touristy area, ask in your hotel reception for a dentist recommendation. They may know someone who speaks your language. If you are staying in a private rental, ask your host if they can recommend a dentist.

It’s vital that you seek treatment and don’t try to ignore the problem until you get home. You could risk making the problem worse, or causing damage to surrounding teeth or your gums.

Checking credentials and cleanliness

When you seek out dental treatment overseas, it can be very daunting as you won’t know if the dental practice is regulated or if your dentist is qualified. In the UK, all dentists are monitored by the General Dental Council and Care Quality Commission. Depending on where you are travelling to, you might not have the same level of oversight.

By asking for recommendations and checking online reviews, you can get an idea of which dentists can be trusted and which ones should be avoided. If you have doubts about cleanliness, it’s best to follow your instincts and find another dental practice. As a last resort, you might opt to visit the local accident and emergency department.

Flying, travelling and dental problems

As well as the danger of succumbing to toothache while on holiday, many travellers complain that travelling makes their pain worse. If you have a toothache, the pressure of the air cabin when flying can make this much worse. This could make travelling a miserable and painful experience.

It is possible that, as with all environment–sensitive conditions, the pressure inside the cabin when flying could cause discomfort when a passenger has a bubble of air trapped in a cavity/ filling, or is suffering from a condition that could be worsened if exposed to a change in air pressure.

If you have inflammation in your tooth, this is also likely to be aggravated by the change in air pressure when flying. To avoid this, it’s best to address dental problems before you leave rather than taking the risk.

Final thoughts on dental emergencies while travelling

At the end of the day it just is not worth taking a risk with your dental health when travelling abroad, play it safe and make sure all your routine check-ups are up to date and that any niggling pain has been looked at by a dentist.

Contact Bhandal Dentist Practice today to check your teeth are holiday ready.