In summer, when you go away on holiday, you often face certain health risks, among them a bout of tooth pain that strikes unexpectedly. But what causes it? What do you do if you need a specialist's help in a foreign country? How do you prepare your teeth properly for the holiday? We'll try to answer these questions for you. On holiday, first of all your usual daily rhythm changes, so quite often your diet changes too. For example, in summer many people enjoy berries, fruit and their juices – all of which increase the amount of acid in the mouth that eats away at the tooth enamel. It's also released from carbohydrates, and alcohol and sweet fizzy drinks increase the amount of acid too. So after eating these foods or drinks, it's advisable to rinse your mouth with water to reduce the concentration of acids and keep the teeth from becoming more sensitive. Tooth pain can also be caused by temperature differences. Cold water, ice cream or ice-cream shakes on a hot summer's day create a heat-contrast effect, which is a huge stress for the teeth. After all, the well-known law of physics that bodies expand in heat and contract in cold applies to our teeth too – temperature contrasts can cause micro-cracks in the tooth enamel that lead to tooth sensitivity and pain. It's also important to prepare your teeth for the holiday in advance, especially if you're travelling abroad. Dental problems that strike abroad can empty the wallet considerably, so it's advisable to have your teeth checked for prevention before going away. This helps assess the condition of the teeth and identify problems that might arise during the trip. If tooth pain strikes during the trip, the most important thing is to determine its cause. Pain caused by decay is usually not very strong. A more serious cause, for example inflammation of the tooth nerve, may be indicated by a stronger, throbbing pain that intensifies in the evening. In that case you must see a dentist without delay. It's also advisable to see a specialist if swelling appears, indicating a certain infection. In this case delay is dangerous: an infection can cause the body to become intoxicated, and then it's almost impossible to solve the problem without intervention and antibiotics. 

12 tips for dental care on holiday:

1. Brush your teeth at least in the morning and evening (and if possible, after lunch too). If you can't, chew gum for a few minutes.
2. Floss your teeth every evening, because food left between the teeth can trigger decay at the necks of the teeth.
3. To brush your teeth, choose not cold but cool or room-temperature water.
4. Rinse your teeth and mouth with mouthwash in the morning and evening, after brushing.
5. After eating acidic and sweet food and drinks, you can rinse your teeth and mouth with water.
6. Drink fruit juice through a straw: that way less acid gets onto the teeth.
7. If there's no chance to brush or rinse your teeth while travelling by transport, eat fruit that doesn't stick to the teeth and isn't too sweet or too acidic, and avoid biscuits, chocolate and sweets.
8. Avoid sweet drinks.
9. To clean your teeth while travelling, use a disposable brush pre-impregnated with toothpaste. You just need to moisten the brush with water.
10. Don't open packaging with your teeth.
11. Don't chew ice.
12. If you're holidaying with children, don't indulge yourself or them – on holiday teeth need to be brushed just as always.

Before travelling abroad, check the terms of your travel insurance for dental services. Rinsing with boiled water and salt has an antiseptic effect.