Tips When Traveling With Dentures

Fact Checked by Dr. M. Mansoor Majeed

Dr. M. Mansoor Majeed (BDS, MDS, CHPE) has over ten years of experience as a practicing dentist, medical writer, and researcher. He also works as an assistant professor at a renowned health sciences university. Dr. Mansoor has written more than 25 research articles, which have been published in renowned medical journals, and has presented his research at conferences worldwide.

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It doesn’t matter if you are taking a road trip for an overnighter related to business or escaping for a month’s vacation in the tropics, traveling with dentures requires some advance planning.

If you follow the tips listed below, you will be able to enjoy your getaway without worrying about something happening to your false/artificial teeth that may put a dampener on your holiday.

Denture Travel Tips Before You Go

See Your Dentist Before You Depart

Even if you are meticulous about your annual dental visits, it is never a bad idea to have a check-up before an extended trip. The main purpose of the before-vacation check-up is to confirm that your dentures are still fitting properly and to find any other dental issues that may arise while you are traveling.

You also want to make sure that there are no fractures or other serious damage to your dentures or false teeth. The reason for this is to prevent you from discovering a crack or other defect that requires attention while you are hundreds of miles away from your regular dentist.

Identify Local Denturists At Your Destination

On the offhand chance that you do run into some issues when flying or traveling with dentures, you will want to be prepared. This is why it is a good idea to do a little extra homework on the dental professional options you will have available to you at your destination.

You would have researched your hotel and the local attractions, so seeking information on local dentists is just one extra precautionary step. By having a shortlist of potential options where you will be vacationing, you will be prepared in case of an emergency.

Familiarize Yourself With The Local Cuisine

Visiting a different culture or geographic location often means that the local food will be different from what you are accustomed to. As a denture wearer, local food options will play a role in where you will dine and what types of food you will eat on vacation.

You will want to identify those dishes that are either difficult to chew or that may be extremely tough in texture. The last thing you want is to break or fracture your dentures or artificial tooth or teeth.

By knowing in advance what your meal choices are, you can relax and enjoy your holiday.

Pack Wisely – Include A Denture Travel Kit

Keep your denture supplies and spare dentures in your carry-on bag to avoid losing them in your checked luggage. However, be sure to confirm with the airlines you intend to fly on as to what is and is not permitted as carry-on luggage. Ideally, you should have a denture travel case with all the essentials you will need to have with you when you are traveling with dentures.

That kit will be complete with a container for soaking your false teeth overnight, a denture brush, a small washcloth, travel-sized mouthwash, travel-size denture adhesive, soaking tablets, breath mints, and a travel-size tube of denture cleaning paste.

Pack A Set Of Back-Up Dentures As Well

You already know that dentures are expensive. Having to repair or replace them while away from home on a vacation could become an even costlier situation. This is why having a backup set of dentures makes good sense.

You most certainly do not want to crack, break or lose your uppers or lowers but with a spare set carefully packed in your denture brush travel case, you won’t have to deal with an unexpected expense. You may never need them, but if you do, you’ll be glad you packed them.

FAQs When Traveling With Dentures

Can You Take Denture Adhesive On A Plane?

If you are flying with dentures, then there is a good chance that you will also need to take denture adhesive (such as Fixodent) with you. Denture adhesives and other creams follow what is called the “3-1-1 Liquid Rule.”

This means that you can take denture adhesive in carry-on luggage on a plane, but it has to be stored in a travel-size container in a maximum amount of 3.4 oz / 100ml or less per item (“3”). The items must fit in 1 clear, quart-size, plastic bag with a zip lock design (“1”). And each passenger is allowed to carry only 1 plastic bag on the flight (“1”).

Rules can change and may vary between airline operators and countries, so it is best to check with regulatory departments or your airline before departure. For more information, see the TSA website.

Do Metal Dentures Set Off Airport Security?

It sometimes depends on the sensitivity of the detectors… for example, tiny gum wrappers that contain small amounts of aluminum in them can sometimes set off airport security. If your dentures contain any metal (such as a milled bar attachment), or if you have dental implants that contain metal, you may set off security.

If you are flying with dentures and the metal detector is triggered when passing through it, don’t panic. This is a fairly common problem and the security staff will likely screen you with a manual detector. If this happens, you can expect a minor delay when going through airport security with dentures.

What Denture Essentials Should You Pack When Traveling?

Pack a denture travel kit, which will have all the essentials you will need. This includes a container to soak your false teeth in overnight, a travel-sized bottle of mouthwash, a travel-sized tube of denture cleaning paste, denture adhesive, a denture brush, breath mints, soaking tablets, and a small washcloth. It is also a good idea to carry a backup set of dentures just in case the ones you are wearing get damaged during your holiday and it is difficult to locate a local dentist.

Will a Recent Denture Procedure Interfere With Your Trip?

It shouldn’t be a problem. To be sure, schedule an appointment with your dentist before you go. The purpose of this appointment would be to ensure that your dentures are still fitting properly and that the dentures are in excellent shape. When you get to your travel destination, seek out the location of the local dentist so that if you encounter an issue, you will know where to go for assistance. You can also do some research before you leave to find a dentist near to where you will be staying if you are concerned.

What Do You Do If You Get Denture Pain While Traveling?

If you experience any kind of denture pain while away from home, seek out a local dentist at your travel destination. Schedule an appointment and explain what you are experiencing.

Before you leave home, it’s always a good idea to get travel insurance with dental coverage to help cover some of the costs you may encounter if something unforeseen happens while away from your home dentist.

What Should You Do If Your Dentures Break When Traveling?

It is important to get the broken dentures repaired as quickly as possible if you did not pack a backup set with you. Once at your destination, find the location of the local dentist and schedule an appointment for denture repair. Keep the broken plate wrapped in paper or a towel to prevent further damage until you arrive at the dental office. Also, if there is a broken piece from the denture or an artificial tooth that is dislodged, keep it safe.

In Conclusion

As long as you are prepared and have done a little research beforehand, packed a proper denture travel kit, and followed the other tips outlined above, you should not have any problems traveling with dentures. And for more tips on general dental hygiene when traveling, make sure that you check out this article.

Your holiday should be filled with lots of great memories… make sure that these memories don’t include an emergency trip to a local dental office to treat damage to your false teeth. Traveling with dentures requires a little extra work, but it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your holiday.