Medical emergencies are never welcome but can be particularly disruptive when you are travelling abroad. When you consider medical emergencies that can occur abroad you may think of broken limbs or food poisoning, but did you know that dental emergencies are the most common health condition worldwide?
It may be worth attending your local dentist, for example, if you live in the area attending a Cheltenham dentist before you travel abroad will give you peace of mind. There are several factors to consider such as if you know the emergency services number in the country you are travelling to, which is why we have included a list of commonly visited countries for Westerners around the world here:
Emergency Services For Countries Regularly Visited by Westerners
- European Union Countries Use 112: For all countries in the European Union you can call 112 to be put in touch with the emergency services, you can of course call the national emergency numbers respective for each country. But just remembering the 112 emergency phone numbers when you are in countries within the European Union can make it easier to remember.
- Countries That Use 911 For Emergency Services: USA, Canada, Mexico, Philippines, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Palau, Pakistan, Sint Maarten and Uruguay.
- Maldives: To contact the emergency services you should call 102.
- Barbados: To contact the police in Barbados you phone 211, 511 for medical assistance and 311 for firefighters.
- Japan: In Japan, you call 110 for police and 119 for other emergency services.
- China: The police numbers are 110, 112 for traffic incidents, 120 for medical assistance, and 119 for fire services.
- Australia: You can contact the emergency services in Australia by dialling 000.
Importance of Travel Insurance
If you happen to have a medical emergency while abroad having travel insurance can save you a significant amount of money on medical bills. Medical bills can rack up quickly, for example, a jellyfish sting in Australia can set you back around £12,000. Depending on how often you travel abroad will depend on which type of insurance you will opt for:
- Single Trip Insurance: Single trip insurance covers you on a single trip abroad.
- Multi-Trip insurance: Multi-trip insurance covers you if you tend to go on multiple trips abroad a year, but there are sometimes limits on how long you can stay abroad to still be covered under the insurance.
What Affects The Cost Of Travel Insurance?
- Age: Travel insurance is cheaper the younger you are, as you age your insurance premiums with rise. However there is not usually a significant increase until you reach 60 years of age, it is after this age that people usually have more medical complications so the price of travel insurance can sharply rise.
- Pre-Existing Conditions: Having preexisting medical conditions can increase the cost of your insurance premiums as depending on what the health condition is it could increase your chances of making a claim. Depending on which pre-existing medical condition you have will depend on how much more you will have to pay for your travel insurance.
- Destination: Depending on where you are going will depend on how much you have to pay in medical insurance, this depends on the medical costs of each country. For example, medical insurance in European countries is likely to be cheaper than in the USA, as medical bills in the USA are infamous for being expensive.
Dental Emergencies Abroad
Dental emergencies may not be something you immediately think about when you are about to travel abroad, but by being prepared for the worst possible scenario in advance you can help yourself if a dental emergency does happen.
In most European countries you will be able to find a similar level of dentistry as your local dentist in Solihull, just make sure you check out the reviews for different dentists beforehand to ensure that you get the best experience.
For some dental complications such as toothache, you can practice self-care by regularly brushing your teeth and swilling your mouth out with mouthwash.
Both of these help eliminate bacteria in your mouth, having large amounts of bacteria in your mouth can make toothache hurt more. Attending the dentist abroad will likely mean attending an emergency dentist which will likely charge higher fees than a regular dentist. But at least by attending the dentist, they will be able to help in dental emergencies so you can get your smile back again!
Conclusion
Medical emergencies can be unpredictable, sometimes happening at the worst possible times.
Understanding your first point of call when emergency situations arise can provide a more beneficial outcome as emergency services will be able to arrive faster. You should also make sure you read up about travel insurance before travelling abroad, to save yourself a possible financial emergency.