Apr 14, 2015
Gary Bembridge author of "The
Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise
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What Happens If I
have Toothache On Board?
Cruise ships carrying more than 12 passengers are required to have
a doctor and medical facilities on board. River cruise ships are
unlikely to carry a doctor as they are always within reasonable
reach of land to access emergency and essential medical
assistance.
You will find that you are likely to be well covered if you have
any medical problems on a cruise.
However, the same is not true if you have dental problems. Cruise
lines do not have dentists and dental facilities on board. If you
suffer from tooth ache or other problems, like a crown or filling
coming out, the most you should expect is some help with the pain
and assistance on trying to locate a dentist in the next port. Many
lines used to try to help patch up and deal with simple problems,
but the increased insurance risk and chance of being sued if things
go wrong meant that they no longer are prepared to provide
this.
Before you cruise make sure your teeth are in good condition,
ideally by having a check-up. Take a simple tooth repair kit that
you can buy from most large pharmacies and drugstores. This will
enable you to temporarily fill fillings or stick back crowns if
they fall out until you can see a land-based dentist.