Can flying cause problems for my teeth?
Changes in pressure during the flight can cause discomfort to the teeth, especially in people with cavities, fillings (fillings) or inflamed gums. The Easter holidays are approaching.
Hopefully, you’ll have a disconnecting getaway.
With a lot of luck, you’ll have enough free days to turn your getaway into a trip with capital letters.
Maybe the plane will be your means of transportation.
What if we told you that flying can cause problems for your teeth?
At Clínica Cervera we explain how changes in airplane pressure can affect your mouth.
Barodontalgia, tooth discomfort due to pressure changes Barodontalgia is tooth discomfort that occurs due to pressure changes, which can happen in the cabin of an airplane, especially during takeoff and descent.
The air pressure in our body must balance with the air pressure outside.
In the case of the pulp chamber, which is located within the crown of the tooth and is composed of highly innervated (many nerve endings) and irrigated (many blood capillaries) tissue, adaptation to changes in atmospheric pressure is sometimes not possible.
This is due to the rigidity of its walls.
The consequence?
A sharp pain from the force exerted from the inside to the outside.
It is difficult to know when this pain will appear because not everyone suffers from it.
But those people with cavities, fillings (fillings) or inflamed gums are more affected by barodontalgia than those without oral problems.
If you travel by plane regularly or practice sports that involve great ascents (mountaineering) or descents (diving), increase the frequency of your visits to the dentist and take your oral hygiene habits to the extreme.
On the other hand, it is also advisable to visit the dentist if, after recovering the usual pressure, the tooth continues to suffer discomfort.