PREPARING YOUR TEETH FOR A HOLIDAY ROAD TRIP 

PARSIPPANY, NJ (December 2004) – As you load the car with luggage and gifts for the holidays, probably one of the last things on your mind is your oral health. But as people leave their homes for holiday visits with friends and family, some will be faced with dental emergencies, which can put a serious damper on any holiday festivities.

"Taking a few simple precautions before traveling can potentially eliminate dental emergencies and long-term damage to your oral health," said Dr. Scott Navarro, dental director, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey (Delta Dental). "Address any pre-existing oral health issues before you go. Common vacation activities, including flying, can make dental maladies worse through pressure changes."

It is also a smart idea to pack a dental first-aid kit with supplies including gauze, cotton, pain reliever, floss, paraffin, oil of cloves and dental cement. Jot down your dentist's name, address, telephone number and any pertinent information about your oral health, and keep the information in your wallet. Also be sure to carry your dental insurance policy number and the phone number of your insurance company.

Familiarize yourself with your dental insurance coverage. Find out if your dental insurer offers simple resources, such as an on-line dentist locator, for finding network dentists in areas where you will be traveling. Take a close look at what type of coverage is available through your dental insurance plan. Fee-for-service, PPO-type and HMO delivery plans can vary in their in-network and out-of-network coverage.

How to Handle a Dental Emergency
It is helpful to know a few guidelines for handling dental emergencies on the road. "If an emergency does arise, first assess the injury. Someone experiencing a blow to a tooth or severe tooth pain should contact a dentist right away rather than waiting until they return home," Dr. Navarro stressed. "Generally, the long-term prognosis for many patients is determined by the type of injury to the tooth and how much time elapses before treatment."

Delta Dental recommends that travelers with dental emergencies follow these tips from the American Dental Association:

Toothache
Take a pain reliever, but don't place aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues. Rinse mouth with warm water. Floss to make sure no food or foreign object is lodged around tooth. Contact dentist as soon as possible.

Knocked-out Tooth
Retrieve tooth. If tooth is dirty, hold by the crown, and carefully rinse off its root. (Don't scrub tooth or remove any attached tissue fragments). If possible, put tooth back in its socket. If not, put it in a container with milk or cool water. Contact dentist immediately.

Broken Tooth
Rinse mouth with warm water to keep area clean. Use cold compresses to keep down swelling. Contact dentist immediately.

Bitten Tongue or Lip
Apply direct pressure to bleeding area with a clean cloth. Use cold compresses to keep down swelling. If bleeding doesn't stop, contact dentist immediately or go to a hospital emergency room.

Objects Caught Between Teeth
Gently try removing object with dental floss. Do not use anything sharp. Be careful not to cut the gums. Contact dentist if you can't remove the object.

Lost Filling, Cap or Crown
Apply oil of cloves to cotton, squeeze out the excess and cover the cavity. Alternatively, clean out the cavity and tooth and cover with dental cement (obtained at any drug store) or paraffin. Take a pain reliever as needed. See a dentist at your earliest convenience.

If an injury occurs in a foreign country, contact the American embassy. They should be able to assist you in finding a reliable, English-speaking dentist.

For additional information on this topic, please see the article in Delta Dental's Subscriber News (May 2004): http://www.deltadentalnj.com/newsletter/newsletter_0504b.html

Sources:
American Dental Association (www.ada.org)
www.bynesfalls.com/dentistry/newsletters

Accessing Delta Dental on Vacation
Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey is a member of the nationwide Delta Dental Plans Association, which covers nearly one-fourth of the estimated 156 million Americans with dental insurance and includes the participation of almost four out of every five U.S. dentists. Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey's Web site (www.deltadentalnj.com) enables patients to search for participating dentists by name, location and specialty throughout New Jersey and Connecticut, and anywhere in the United States. Or, they can also call (800) DELTA-OK (335-8265).

About Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc.
Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system offers seamless dental benefits administration for employer groups throughout the country and the largest network of credentialed dentists in the nation. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.