Should You Get Dental Work Done Before Travelling or After Your Return?

In your rush to get everything done before you take a trip, you hope nothing goes wrong in the lead up to flying away. However, when you start to develop a pain in your teeth or gums which has been gradually increasing as the days countdown to going away, that creates a real dilemma. 

In this article, we explore whether it’s worth getting dental work done before flying out or just to wait until you’re back. 

How Bad Is the Pain Now?

If the pain is minor and you can see nothing wrong when examining your mouth, then it’s tempting to just let it sit and see if it solves itself.

There’s a small possibility that the problem could be causedby a piece of food that has become stuck between two teeth or lodged into a gum, which could be causing pain and maybe some bleeding. In which case, using floss to check each tooth and the gums carefully is going to reveal the problem area. 

It’ll also remove the offending item in most cases and subject to any temporarily inflamed gums that will take time to calm down again, that may resolve the problem. However, if the problem persists after brushing and flossing too, then it’s a more serious issue.

How Long Is Your Trip?

If it’s a business trip for 2-3 days or a weekend city break in another part of the country, then in a lot of circumstances it’ll be fine to leave it. Hopefully, the air pressure in the plane won’t affect it. If you have the option to drive and it’s not an uncomfortable distance, then that might be preferable to avoid potential issues with air pressure. 

In a situation where the trip is going to be for a week or longer, then that’s another matter. Booking an appointment with an accessible dentist (the team at www.tarneitrddental.com.au have offices on the Gold Coast and Brisbane) is fast and painless. The same cannot necessarily be said as the week wears on because the dental situation could worsen. If you’re out of the country at the time, then you may regret not visiting the Tarneit Road Dental Clinic when you had the chance. 

Is It a Holiday or Business Trip?

Along with the duration, it’s also worth considering what type of trip it is.

For business trips, a painful tooth might not be enough to distract from a series of seminars or business meetings that you’ll be attending. That’s especially true if you’ll be there and back in a day or two.

With a holiday, that situation isn’t the same. You’ve gonethere to relax and unwind; something you cannot do if you’re in continuous and rising pain. It’ll be much better to fix the dental issue first, so you can fully enjoy your holiday. 

Like most things in life, the answer usually comes down to - it depends. However, the duration of the trip and its purpose may alter your decision about whether it’s necessary to see the dentist before travelling. In most situations, going to the dentist before travelling is a safe decision.