Travel Tips For New Denture Wearers
If you've gotten dentures for the first time and are about to travel, you have to be a little more prepared than non-denture wearers. Not only do you have this extra mouthpiece that you now have to care for, but you have to be aware of how traveling, especially long distance, can affect your ability to use your dentures properly. Take a look at these tips and then pack accordingly.
Hotel Toothbrushes
If you've relied on hotel toothbrushes in the past, you may want to stop. Unless you know for a fact that the hotel will provide you with a soft-bristled brush, bring your own. Medium- and hard-bristled toothbrushes, which you shouldn't be using on your own teeth to begin with, are damaging to dentures. The bristles can scratch the surface of the dentures, weakening them and making them harder to clean. The scratches can become stained and nearly impossible to whiten. And because hotels can change their policies without notice -- in other words, your favorite hotel could suddenly decide to stop providing soft-bristled brushes -- go ahead and pack a soft-bristled toothbrush anyway.
Flying With Denture Adhesive
Denture adhesive gel might not look like a liquid, but chances are it could be confiscated at security anyway if you carry too much of it. Look for adhesive powders or try to find travel-sized tubes of the gel. Check manufacturers' websites as well because they may have information on where you can buy travel-sized items if you can't find them in your local stores.
Predicting Food Choices
Long gone are the days when venturing to a new location meant guessing about what you might be able to eat. Now, even if you're traveling overseas, you can find menus online, reviews of markets, and even descriptions of what you'll find in hotel vending machines. Search ahead of time and write down locations that have foods you know you'll be able to eat with your dentures. If you're traveling somewhere where you won't know the language, you can use online translators to figure out what's in different dishes. You want to avoid hard foods that could crack the denture material.
Your dentist can give you more pointers about caring for your dentures while traveling, as well as giving you advice on what to do if there's a problem. Don't let questions about your dentures keep you home -- go out and enjoy your trip. Click here for more info on travelling with your dentures.
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