"Vacation Time..Sick in the City"
It's vacation time and you're sick in the city. or the mountains, the beach, a cruise or wherever you decided to go. You've planned and waited all year long, but, there was one aspect of your trip you overlooked, getting sick.
First of all getting sick while on vacation happens more often than you might think. Just recently, I received a call from one of my patients explaining that one of his house guests had lost several of his front teeth. It seems his 20 year-old guest, who was visiting the area with his parents, had taken a very nasty fall while standing in a crowd on an extremely hot day.
He fell face first and so hard, that the blunt trauma to the teeth caused them to dislodge leaving behind not only bruised feelings, but, a complete change of plans for the family vacation. Instead of spending the last day and a half touring the city, the family spent the time in my office waiting for their loved one was getting extractions and temporary crowns.
On yet another occasion, a wife called on behalf of her husband who was complaining of a nagging toothache. The throbbing had reached a heightened intensity and the couple was afraid the return trip to Pennsylvania might include a stop for dental treatment.
I spoke with her husband, John, and he told me he was having pain in his back tooth and that it had a hole. He also felt he had slight swelling in his left cheek. Based upon the information he provided and his planned arrival time in Pennsylvania , I advised him to take analgesics (Tylenol or aspirin), take small wet cotton balls and with clean tweezers, place them in the hole to prevent food and other particles from entering. He was also advised to immediately see his dentist when he returned home.
This is a problem that could have easily been avoided had John visited his Dentist at the first sign of sensations. So, just what can you do if you are or want to avoid being "sick in the city?"
- Before you leave for your vacation, be sure you've had your 6-month exam and cleaning.
- Visit your Dentist any time you feel sensations
- Travel with a first aid kit.
- If you are visiting a city in which you are not familiar, check the web for the phone number of the State or local Dental society prior to your departure. They maintain an active list of members.
- If you have a significant injury and cannot locate a Dentist, go to the hospital emergency room
- If you have insurance, visit your insurance company's website, they maintain an active list of participating dentists by area.
- If you have a Citi Health Care Card, Capitol One Health Care Financing or Care Credit all maintain a list of participating Dentists throughout the US . Check their website for Dentists in the area you are visiting.
- If you are staying with family and friends, ask for a recommendation. Hopefully they have a family dentist and this should be your first choice.
- If you are staying at a hotel, ask the staff for a recommendation or check the brochures in the lobby which sometimes include information about local physicians and dentists.
- Check the Yellow Pages, although in my opinion, this should be your last choice.
CHEWING THE FACTS
A PUBLIC SERVICE
OF
CUSPIDS, INC.
Dr. Louis A. Hassell, DDS
3796 Ashley Phosphate Rd.
North Charleston , SC 29418
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