Dental injuries can be frightening at the best of times, but if you suffer an accident or injury abroad, this can be particularly scary, especially if you don’t understand the language. If you’re travelling abroad, here are some tips to help you in the event that you need urgent dental care:

Plan ahead: before you go on holiday or travel abroad, do some research and find out where the local hospitals and dental surgeries are in relation to you resort. Your travel rep can also help with this and they will likely have a list of numbers you can call when you get there if you need help. It’s always a good idea to have a check-up if you are due to see your dentist before you go away.

Take out travel insurance: before you go away, you should always make sure that you have a valid insurance policy in place. Check the details of your policy carefully to make sure that they include urgent medical and dental cover and once you have had treatment or you are in a clinic receiving treatment, get in touch with your insurer.

Meet your holiday rep: you may be desperate to get out into the sun as soon as possible, but the welcome meeting with your rep can be really beneficial, not just for learning about the resort facilities and day trips, but also to learn about what to do in an emergency. If you need a dentist urgently, ask your rep for help with arranging an appointment and sorting out a translator if this is necessary. The hotel reception staff may also be able to help.