Dental Emergencies While Traveling: What to Do

By Lovik Mirzaeian, DDS. Updated October 2026.

If you have a dental emergency while traveling, the first steps are the same anywhere: control the pain, protect the tooth, and decide honestly whether it can wait until you get home. A lost filling, a chipped tooth, or a crown that popped off can usually wait a week or two with a little care. A knocked-out tooth, facial swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, or a fever with a toothache cannot, and you need to find a dentist or a hospital where you are.

Every fall I see patients who spent a vacation miserable because a small problem was not handled well in the first hour. Here is what to pack and what to do when something goes wrong.

Before You Go: A Small Kit and a Checkup

The best emergency plan is a checkup before a long trip, particularly one abroad. A tooth that is already cracked, a filling that is starting to leak, or a wisdom tooth that has been grumbling has a way of choosing the worst possible week to flare. A routine exam a month or so before you leave gives time to deal with anything we find.

A travel dental kit is small and cheap. Pack a tube of temporary dental cement from any pharmacy, a small container with a lid, dental wax, sugar-free gum, salt packets, an over-the-counter pain reliever, and a copy of your dental insurance card. If you have a night guard, bring it. Save our office number in your phone; we can often advise you remotely and see you the day you get back.

Things That Can Usually Wait

A lost filling or a crown that came off

This is the most common travel emergency and the least dangerous. The exposed tooth may be sensitive to cold and rough against your tongue, but it is not infected. Rinse the crown, dry it, put a little temporary cement inside, and seat it back on the tooth, biting gently to settle it. If the crown will not stay, keep it in your container and cover the tooth with cement or wax. Chew on the other side. Do not use superglue; it damages the tooth and makes the crown harder to recement properly. A tooth without its crown can usually go a couple of weeks, though it becomes more fragile the longer it waits.

A chipped tooth without pain

A small chip with no sensitivity is a cosmetic problem until you get home. Smooth any sharp edge with wax. A larger break that exposes a yellow or pink center, or that hurts with air and cold, needs attention sooner. Our post on what to do after chipping a tooth goes into the details.

Mild sensitivity or a dull ache that comes and goes

Warm salt water rinses, an over-the-counter pain reliever taken as directed, and avoiding very hot, cold, or sweet foods will usually carry you through.

Things That Cannot Wait

A knocked-out adult tooth

This is the one true minute-by-minute emergency in dentistry. Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root, rinse it briefly if it is dirty, and put it back in the socket if you can. If not, keep it in milk or tucked in your cheek and get to a dentist within an hour. The odds of saving the tooth fall quickly after that. Read what to do if a tooth gets knocked out now so you know the steps before you ever need them.

Swelling, fever, or a bad taste with a toothache

These point to an abscess, and an abscess can spread. Swelling that reaches the eye, the neck, or the floor of the mouth, or that makes swallowing or breathing difficult, is a hospital emergency wherever you are. Anything short of that still needs a dentist within a day for drainage and, usually, antibiotics. Our guide to abscess signs and when to go now explains the warning signs.

Bleeding that will not stop

Bleeding after an injury that does not slow with twenty minutes of firm pressure on a folded gauze or a damp tea bag needs urgent care.

Finding a Dentist Away From Home

In the United States, your dental insurer’s website or phone line can list in-network dentists near you, and most offices keep a slot or two for emergencies. Hotel front desks and local pharmacies are surprisingly good sources for a reliable name. Abroad, the American embassy or consulate website usually maintains a list of English-speaking dentists, and travel insurance policies often include an assistance line for exactly this purpose. Ask about the fee before treatment starts, pay by card if you can, and keep every receipt and x-ray for your insurer and for us.

A dentist abroad should aim to make you comfortable and safe, not to complete a large treatment plan. Getting out of pain, placing a temporary filling, draining an infection, or recementing a crown is reasonable. Starting a root canal, placing a permanent crown, or extracting a tooth that could be saved is usually better left until you are home, unless the local dentist explains clearly why it cannot wait.

Insurance and Costs

Most dental plans cover emergency treatment out of the area, though often at out-of-network rates and by reimbursement rather than direct payment. Check your plan before you travel. Standard travel medical insurance frequently covers emergency dental pain relief up to a modest limit, but not routine or cosmetic work. The American Dental Association has a plain summary of what counts as a dental emergency, which is useful when talking to an insurer.

When to See a Dentist

When you get home, come in even if the problem seems to have settled. A temporary cement will not hold forever, a chipped tooth can decay under the rough edge, and a tooth that stopped hurting may have done so because the nerve died rather than because it healed. Call our emergency dentist line if you are in pain, and we will fit you in as soon as we can.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my crown falls off while traveling?

Rinse and dry the crown, put a small amount of temporary dental cement from a pharmacy inside it, and seat it back on the tooth. If it will not stay, keep it safe and cover the tooth with cement or dental wax. Chew on the other side and see your dentist within a couple of weeks. Do not use superglue.

Can I fly with a toothache?

Usually, yes, but the change in cabin pressure can make an infected or cracked tooth hurt considerably more. If you have swelling, fever, or throbbing pain, it is better to be seen before you fly. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed and chew sugar-free gum during takeoff and landing.

Does dental insurance cover emergencies out of state or abroad?

Most plans cover emergency care outside your area, often at out-of-network rates and by reimbursement. Travel medical insurance usually covers emergency pain relief up to a limit. Keep all receipts and x-rays, and check your plan before you travel.

How do I find a dentist in a foreign country?

The American embassy or consulate website typically lists English-speaking dentists, and travel insurance assistance lines can arrange care. Hotel staff and pharmacies are also good sources. Ask for the fee before treatment and stick to what is needed for comfort and safety until you are home.

Heading Out of Town Soon? Dr. Mirzaeian Can Help

A quick exam before a long trip is the cheapest insurance there is against a ruined vacation, and we are here to patch things up when you get back. Before you go, contact us to set up a consultation.

Lovik Mirzaeian, DDS has achieved extensive training in multidisciplinary dental treatments. His credentials include Dental Implants, Cosmetic Dentistry, Full Mouth Reconstruction, Endodontics, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, and Sleep Sedation. Our office puts your comfort and smile first, and we are dedicated to giving you top-notch dental care. Get ready to show off your perfect smile!

Looking for a trusted family dentist in Clovis? Dr. Mirzaeian welcomes new patients of all ages.