I pack assorted medicines to go on holiday. The first thing is an elastoplast in my handbag for counteracting the effects rubbing shoes, or dealing with minor cuts.
Elastoplast
Nowadays you can buy a spray-on Elastoplast. That is a kind of antiseptic.
Tooth Repair Kit
You can also buy an emergency tooth repair kit. In case you lose a filling. But this requires a steady hand to apply to the right place.
I told my friends about this. One weekend they phoned me and asked if they could have my kit, which they would replace on Monday when the shops opened.
Tooth Trouble Tale
This year, 2025, I had a stabbing pain in a tooth with a filling for a few seconds after I used a toothpick after eating.
I went to the dentist. He took an x-ray. Fortunately, not an immediate disaster. Unless it got worse, and I had non-stop pain lasting more than an hour.
No, I didn't want my tooth extracted. And a crown. Which only lasts ten years.
More expense, now. And in the future.
A whole caboodle. Bed rest for recovery, when I have outings and holidays planned. A breif period with no tooth, before the crown arrives, looking unsightly.
And I have fragile bones, osteoporosis. And a head injury from a car accident. I could end up with a broken jaw. Migraines.
And the pain! I bad memories of being in bed in agony for days after the extraction of my wisdom teeth.
Let's look on the bright side. From my visit to the dentist, I learned several useful things.
Who Can Prescribe Anti-biotics?
In the UK a denstist can prescribe antibiotics for a problem such as a small tooth abscess. No need for me to go to the doctor for the antibiotics. I was relieved there was no need for me to have a tooth extracted there and then.
A dentist can prescribe antibiotics for you to take when you have an ongoing tooth problem and you are about to travel to a remote place.
Pharmacy Information
In England we call the pharmacy a chemist (shop). In America they refer to a drug store.
When I got to the chemist's, the pharmacy, with my prescription, I asked the size of the pills. Large pills would need a lot of water to swallow. Was there an alternative size of pill? Could I chew the pill or crush it?
The assistant, the pharmacist's wife, looked at the antibiotic pill packet to find out if the pill had a coating, which she said was to stop it being an irritant to your stomach lining. Really? If so, don't crush it.
Liquid Medicine
She said there was an alternative liquid medicine. I had aleady decided to avoid liquid when travelling, because they are not allowed on planes if the bottle of liquid is to large. Could be a nuisance. But faced with large pills, I was having second thoughts, about a course I might start before I left for my travels. So, I wanted to discuss the options,.
But she could not change my prescription from the pills to the liquid. I would have to go back to the dentist. And other patients have said that liquid tastes horrible.
Mouthwash
To create an emergency mouthwash, use salt in water. So said my dentist. Not new information for me. But I had forgotten it. Great reminder.
When travelling, you can take with you salt. Sometimes you find tiny packets of salt at fast food places.
So, salt is easier. What about prescriptions?
Photograph Of Prescriptions
I photograph all my prescriptions. Then if I lose the medicine in lost luggage, misrouted luggage, or a stolen handbag, or forgotten jacket, I have a record online for a pharmacist at my destination.
If security says I can't import pills, I will have proof that they are a prescribed medicine for my own use, and not for resale. Nor are they some forbidden, unknown drug.
Who Can Prescribe Antibiotics?
Afterwards I was talking to other people about my experiences. My family told me that in the UK psychiatrists can prescribe medicines because they have had medical training. But psychologists cannot.
Who Is A Medical Doctor?
Confusingly, in the UK the word doctor almost always means a medical professional. However, over in Germany other professions such as engineers, who have a doctorate, a PhD, are called Doctor.
I am now armed with a whole lot of things for packing on my next trip. I just need a list!
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