Packing a toothbrush in your hand luggage is a must, according to dentists (Image: Getty) As you're jetting off on holiday, it can be manic to make sure you've packed all the essentials. Going even further afield on a long haul flight leaves you with little room for error. One thing that most people don't think to toss in their hand luggage is a toothbrush and toothpaste, stashing it away in any main suitcase along with your clothes and other belongings to collect at the destination airport.

But, a dental expert has explained why you might want to reconsider that decision for any upcoming flight where you'll be travelling for more than a few hours. Dr Nyree Whitley, chief clinical officer at mydentist, said: “When travelling long haul, it’s natural to want to take some shortcuts or look into hacks on how to make the journey more comfortable. However, if you’re looking to save space in your hand luggage, leaving your toothbrush and toothpaste at home might not be the best idea if you want a comfortable journey.

function loadOvpScript(){let el=document.createElement('script');el.setAttribute('src','https://live.

primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=114945&playerApiId=v114945');document.

getElementById('ovp-primis').appendChild(el)}window.top.

addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.

playerApiId==="v114945"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.

detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}});window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',()=>{set.