Forgotten Necessities During Travel: Tip-of-the-Day #301

Last week I forgot my trusty dental guard when I packed for a week-long trip to Maryland. While that may not seem like a big deal, I have what my dentist refers to as a "tongue thrust" and without my guard in place, I'll wake up in the morning and my teeth will have visibly moved from the sheer force of my tongue pressing against them all night long.

Luckily there was a CVS within walking distance from my hotel. Unluckily, the dental guard I was looking for was out of stock. Clearly I was not the only person who had left theirs behind! I searched for close relatives to the guard and found several solutions for bruxism (grinding), most a "no boil" version which felt promising given I had a coffee maker and bathroom sink.

And so, forty dollars later I had purchased the next best thing to having my own guard with me. And, I followed the instructions, inserting it 30 minutes before bedtime to give my jaw a chance to relax.

The first night felt fitful but I must have grown accustomed to it quickly because by morning I had all but forgotten about it. My teeth still felt as if they'd shifted a bit, but nothing like what might have occurred had I nothing in place to absorb some of the pressure of my tongue.

By night four I was kind of over it, but let me just say that for $40 I had an adequate alternative to my custom made creation at home, and peace of mind.

If you ever forget something during your travels, even something as personal as a customized dental guard, never fear because your local pharmacy is bound to have a sensible (and affordable) solution.