The busy holiday season is coming up and that usually means a lot of traveling to visit family and friends. If you have braces, traveling might seem like a complicated issue. What do you bring? How do you keep up with all of your equipment? Well, don’t worry. It’s easier now than it’s ever been. Check out our tips below for navigating the upcoming holidays smoothly with braces.
Check in with Your Orthodontist
If you’re traveling far or for an extended amount of time, be sure you are up to date with your visits. If not, be sure you get a checkup from your orthodontist before you go. They will make sure everything about your braces looks correct and that you are in good shape to travel. If you are going to be away during a previously scheduled appointment, you should reschedule it for before you leave.
If you have Invisalign, you should definitely check in with your orthodontist to make sure you have enough trays to last however long you’ll be away and that your teeth are straightening correctly. You’ll want to make sure to keep your Invisalign trays in a case to keep from losing them on your travels.
Pack a Travel Kit for Your Braces
Like packing clothes and toiletries for any trip, you’ll want to prepare a little travel kit for your braces so you are prepared to keep taking care of them as usual. Included should be what you use daily for your braces:
- Toothbrush
- Toothbrush holder
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Floss Threaders
- Dental Wax
- Pain reliever medicine
You should keep all of these in a separate bag to keep track of them. Toothbrush holders should be cleaned with warm water or mouthwash in order to sterilize any germs that may be in them.
Continue to brush your teeth after every meal or snack and floss every day while you are traveling. This might seem difficult because you are not on a normal schedule, but it is extremely important to keep up with your dental and orthodontic hygiene at all times.
Be Prepared for Emergencies
We don’t want to think about it and it probably won’t happen, but just in case you have an emergency with your braces while you’re away from your orthodontist, you need to be prepared. From a loose bracket to a broken wire, there are many things that could happen while traveling. That dental wax in your travel kit is going to come in handy in most of these cases.
If you experience any discomfort or pain from a broken bracket or wire, you can put your dental wax on it to keep the hard metal from rubbing against your cheeks and gums. Pain medicine also comes in handy during these situations. You’ll want to keep the pain subdued so you can enjoy the rest of your trip.
If there is any irritation or sores in your mouth from your braces rubbing, rinse with warm saltwater to soothe that pain. That, combined with pain meds, will greatly relieve any issues you might run into while away from home. If you are having trouble beyond what you can handle, it shouldn’t be a problem to visit a local orthodontist who will make you comfortable until you can get back into your regular orthodontic office.
If you have any questions about traveling with braces, keeping up good hygiene, or what to do if your braces break, call us at (843) 4-BRACES for more information.