Why Do You Get Toothaches When You Fly?
Dr. B. Kanagasabapathy
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
You would have encountered toothaches when traveling by air if you had done so. Sounds relatable, right?
It is essential to know why we get sudden toothache on an airplane. Most people experience cabin pressure changes during takeoff and landing, and some might experience toothaches. It is common to experience cabin pressure changes while traveling on flights.
In this blog article, you will find everything you need to know about airplane toothaches.
However, it’s crucial to know that if you have healthy teeth, you will not get toothaches while flying. It only happens when the dental fillings do not fill the cavity or if the fillings are getting old with too small gaps inside your teeth.
If air gets stuck between your tooth and the filling, you will experience a toothache when you are flying or whenever you experience a change in pressure.
What causes a toothache on an airplane?
Generally, airplanes fly at 30000 feet in height or above. The air in our body tries to adjust to the change in pressure caused by the plane’s altitude. When the flight starts increasing in height, the pressure changes inside your body, and the air is too thin to breathe, so the plane’s cabin is pressurized to provide perspective for breathing. So changes in air pressure can cause your teeth to get hurt.
Air can become trapped between your teeth, causing pain and discomfort.
If it is within a tooth or between your teeth, or if you have cavities on your teeth or have had dental work done that did not fill a cavity.
Other common causes of toothache on an airplanes
Although, air trapped between teeth is the most common cause of tooth pain in aircraft. There are also additional possibilities you might know.
- Tooth decay – Usually, cavities are caused by poor oral hygiene. It creates a small hole in the outermost layers of your teeth that can grow deeper and larger as time goes on. It can cause toothache on airplanes.
- Cracked or Damaged Tooth – Broken or damaged teeth can cause tooth pain. It causes air to become trapped in the space between teeth.
- Sensitive Tooth – If you already have sensitive teeth, this can also provoke sharp pain in the problematic teeth
How can you prevent toothache on airplanes?
Typically, if you get tooth pain while flying, it indicates you may have a cavity or tooth decay, or a broken filling. However, you can prevent tooth pain by eliminating air from your teeth.
If you have cracks, chips, or any other kinds of damage in your teeth that are the causes of toothache, we can also address that and cure that with effective treatment. Although, if you have a sensitive tooth, we recommend using a sensitive-friendly toothpaste to prevent such airplane toothaches further.
Are you struggling with toothaches while flying?
Getting tooth pain while flying is not normal. It indicates untreated cavities, decay, or failing dental restorations like fillings, crowns, dental bridges, or others. Hence you must see your dentist to treat them properly. You should not neglect or delay dental visits in such circumstances.
Schedule your dental appointment once the airplane lands on the runway.
