How to Deal with Oversea Dental Emergencies

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Imagine you’ve been planning this trip for quite some time and are finally on your way. Your plane touches down, you check into your lodging, and head out to explore. Suddenly, the unexpected happens and the next thing you know, your mouth is in crisis.



My husband’s favorite life philosophy is “plan for the worst and hope for the best.” Over time, I’ve come to appreciate this. In my earlier post this week, I mentioned traveling for dental care, and it got me thinking. It’s great if you plan it, but what if the above happens? What if you’re away from home and you fall down the stairs of ancient ruins and break a tooth or a sudden abscess decides to take over your mouth? Shouldn’t there be a plan in place?



I’ve nearly convinced my husband to go on a cruise for our 10 year anniversary next year. (I’m so excited; Can you tell on the other end of the screen?) Since I’ll be spending a small fortune on this trip and now that I’m concerned about dental emergencies, I contacted the cruise line and asked about their emergency procedures. I got a very polite, but very firm, “we can’t tell you.”



Um, scary.



Oral-based emergencies can take different forms, from growing abscess to accidental occurrence. When something arises and you’re not in your home country, it can be scary to consider anyone else working on your teeth than your regular dental provider. Thankfully, dentistry is a worldwide well-practiced profession. Take comfort in



Depending on where your destination is, it may be wise to consider health and dental providers prior to leaving in case of an emergency. It can be a lot harder to research options when you are in mind-bending pain.



Different countries may or may not have certain associations overseeing the training and technology used by their dentists. Furthermore, foreign dental offices are often privately owned and operated. It may be difficult to determine a dentist’s skills, required procedures within the area, and devices or technology that will be used. In the case of an emergency, be bold and blunt if necessary to ensure you feel comfortable with them caring for your mouth. Communicate with the staff and make sure you fully understand the procedure. Ask about infection control. This includes inquiring whether new gloves and needles are used for each patient, whether instruments are sterilized with a heat oven, and how water is sanitized. Also ask about complication tactics should things not go according to plan. Fort Worth, Texas's #1 rated dentist Dr. Peter Ku agrees that the more knowledge you have, the better.



Although dental disasters and choosing the right person to handle them can be stressful, there is a silver lining. Due to the difference in technology and training, your bill for the dilemma will be considerably less than you would have spent back home (in the US, UK, or Australia.) For example, getting crowns or caps in Costa Rica is half the cost of the exact same procedure with identical technology (Source: http://www.medicaltourismco.com/dental-tourism-in-costa-rica/).



Once the emergency has been taken care of and you’re about to leave to somewhere luxurious to relax with pain killers and ice, make sure you get all the paperwork you’ll possibly need. This should include medical records updated with this particular procedure, a receipt for the job done, and something with all the information on which devices or materials were used in order to offer details to your regular dentist at your next exam.



Lastly, depending on when the emergency happened within your expected travel plans, you might consider staying a bit longer to ensure that healing is nearly complete before you leave. Most travel accommodations increase the risk of treatment complications by limiting body shifting. Being able move your body or face regularly is vital to recovery, but is limited on planes, trains, and cars. Additionally, the comforts of home have been shown to speed up recovery times for major health issues, so being away will slog down your immunities and compromise recovery. Having another check up by the same dentist can be in your best interest. So consider extending your stay if necessary.



Having something go horribly wrong for your mouth while you’re away from home is quite the ordeal. However, knowing how to approach it can make the entire situation much less terrifying. With the information above, you can feel confident that when the unexpected happens and your teeth suffer the consequences, you will know exactly what to do about it.



I’m going to write my own emergency medical/dental request sheet anytime I leave my home here in the USA. That way, if I can’t tell them what I want to happen with my body or mouth, they will still be obligated to follow my instructions.

As entrepreneur and author Jim Rohn says, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

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