Teeth First: Take the bite out of dental emergencies

THE GROWING STANDARD IN DENTAL CARE IS TEETH SO straight they’d impress a drill sergeant, and so white they glow like neon. This is not a bad thing, since it means more people are subscribing to the modern mantra of good dental health, which is that teeth are for life. For travellers, following the two key rules of care—start young and be consistent—can be an inconvenience. In the throes of adventure, fl ossing is hardly top of mind.

Of course, that’s exactly the reason to get a thorough dental checkup before you hit the road. According to the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), there are several potential problems that only a dentist can spot. Unknown, but growing, tooth decay (a cavity or root infection in progress) is one of the most important. Tooth decay doesn’t happen overnight. It can take weeks of exposure to bacteria before you even sense a problem at work. “Specifi c bacteria in your mouth eat the sugar [you’ve consumed], and you get a 20-minute acid attack on your teeth,” says Carol Yakiwchuk, a dental hygienist and health promoter. During each attack, the enamel (surface) and structures of your teeth are demineralized, so the more sugbothar you consume—whether in natural foods like fruits and juices, or in artifi cial products like pop—the weaker tooth enamel becomes. Compounding the problem, especially for travellers, is not brushing as often as you should, since fl uoridated toothpaste remineralizes and strengthens enamel. An X-ray will catch early signs of decay in places you can’t see, and long before it manifests as a toothache or problem needing a health professional.

Both Yakiwchuk and the CDA cite other concerns only a dentist can detect: deterioration in fi llings or crowns; cavities between teeth; decay on roots exposed by receding gums; decay under the gum line; cavities growing under fi llings; unknown tooth fractures; and early signs of infections or oral cancer. Not only should you see a dentist before a trip, but also be sure to do so well in advance, and heed any advice about treatment. You’ll need time to heal after most procedures, particularly a root canal. And if your dentist says you need three things done, says Yakiwchuk, get all three things done!

If avoiding a problem is the best reason to get your teeth checked before you leave, the second has to be avoiding dental care in a foreign country. With worldwide standards still so precarious, you just can’t count on practitioners abroad adhering to infection control protocols. “Something we consider a simple or uneventful dental emergency [like a cavity] could become a signifi cant problem” for a traveller, says Dr. Linda C. Basquill of the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP), a global group of industry professionals working to improve dental practices worldwide. “If you don’t feel confi dent in their safety practices,” adds Basquill, who is a dentist, “walk away.” And if you spot traces of blood on the needle as it comes toward you, don’t just walk—run.

NOTE: This information is a guideline only. Always get individualized advice from a qualifi ed health professional (doctor or dentist) before travelling. For more info, go to: the Canadian Dental Association, www.cda.org; and OSAP, www.osap.org, click on “Patients,” then “Traveller’s Guide to Safe Dental Care.” For when and how to use temporary dental repair products like waxes and cements, google “temporary dental repair.” Some sites have detailed instructions.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 at 10:03 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Add to del.icio.us.