Claudia Martinez Dentist TampaYour local family dentist, Claudia Martinez of The Tooth Doctor Tampa, shares 4 simple vacation travel hacks for oral health while enjoying your time away.

Traveling and family vacations are as much a part of American culture as baseball. When preparing to leave for a trip it’s inevitable to ask yourself if you’ve packed all the right things… Plan these simple dental travel hacks in advance to help hit the road or airport with confidence.

  1. FLOSS: ALWAYS Bring a full pack of floss for your purse or travel bag. Floss can be used to replace brushing in a pinch. Floss is a great compact travel buddy which can easily be packed in any purse or excursion bag for the day. Added plus? One small floss container can offer a clean strand to everyone in the travel party. All day amusement park trips, hikes, or other adventures have met their match. Since floss can get to the hard-to-reach places between teeth and around gums, it works really well to remove food particles, sugars, and bacteria. Choose a nice mint floss for double-duty to freshen breath. This makes floss top our travel hacks as the great #SmallButMighty oral health tool.
  2. TRAVEL TOOTHBRUSH: Purchase each traveler a travel toothbrush. Having a specific travel toiletries kit for each person including a smaller, fold-up travel toothbrush (which remains in the travel pack at all times) increases your chances of discovering upon arrival that you’ve actually packed your toothbrush(es). Though many people use electric toothbrushes at home, these and their charging stations may be too large to pack and are more likely to be forgotten at home. Since dedicated travel toothbrushes are there when you need them, right where you put them, this hack receives a special commendation for being #LoyalToTheKit.
  3. SWISH & SPIT: Swish fresh water from 30 seconds up to a minute. Swishing, or manual oral irrigation, is a great way to break up sticky particles of foods or soft drinks. After each meal or sweet treat, take a minute to swish thoroughly. When you spit, you’ll be reducing your mouth’s bacteria load by up to 30% with fresh water alone. You’ll also greatly reduce the acids your body was producing and using in your mouth to break down the food you were eating, effectively protecting your glossy enamel. Whether at a restaurant, a theme park, or a nature trail – take 30 seconds to a minute to swish and spit fresh water after eating. With such awesome flexibility, this hack can #SaveTheEnamel with almost no planning and no extra costs.
  4. GUM ON THE GO: Carry sugar free gum to chew. Last but not least, during your travels carry along a good supply of your favorite sugar-free and dental-work-safe chewing gum. Chew liberally! It’s vacation, after all! Sugar free gum is a really effective and enjoyable way to lift food particles and acids from teeth after each snack, treat, or meal when you have less access to a toothbrush and paste. Added bonus, most feel this is a treat itself and freshens the breath of everyone in your group. For its wild favorability as a treat, this #ChewyCleanserOnTheGo gains a top place in our hacks as a plaque fighting double agent, dare we say our very own 007…

Our final recommendation is to include all of these travel hack tips in your vacation planning. All four together support healthy teeth, gums, and fresh breath on your next vacation. We hope you enjoy your travels – and we can’t wait to hear of all the amazing experiences you’ll have! A little planning and knowledge can help you maintain perfect oral health on your trip(s). #BonVoyage #SafeTravels #SmileForFreshBreathVacaPhotos!


About Us

Located on the south side of Tampa, Florida, The Tooth Doctor offers caring and thoughtful family dentistry for all ages and expert cosmetic dentistry options including restorative procedures for those seeking to improve their smile. Our concierge-style dentistry services are hygienic and enjoyable; we see one patient or family at a time!

If you are looking for a local dentist in Tampa, give us a call to set up an initial consultation or new appointment at (813) 605-2573. We look forward to meeting you!

We Have Great Testimonials

Our patients give Dr. Martinez rave reviews! Please take a few moments to read patient testimonies, reviews, and thoughts on The Tooth Doctor Facebook page, Google listing, and Yelp page.

A Yelp patient review for The Tooth Doctor Tampa; Claudia Martinez, D.M.D., M.P.H.

“She’s very knowledgeable and really listens to your concerns and walks you through whatever treatment plan you need. Danielle gives you the pricing for whatever treatment you need, after insurance, and there’s no hidden fees or gray areas. “