While some people love flying in airplanes and never experience any side effects from doing so, there are other people that do not like it—and many people do not like flying because of the effects it has on their teeth. Flying can cause pain in your teeth, but it does not happen to everyone. If you feel tooth pain from flying, here are several things you should understand about the effects flying can have on your teeth.

Pain occurs primarily from the change in altitude

One of the most common side-effects from flying is pain and pressure in the ears, which occur from the change in altitude while flying. While this is a very common problem for many people, a lot of people also feel pain in their teeth from the change in altitude. This change in altitude can also affect your sinuses. People who experience a lot of sinus problems often experience more toothaches as well, simply because the sinuses can affect the way teeth feel.

The reason you may feel pain in your ears, sinuses, or teeth from this change in altitude is due to the way your body naturally tries to adjust its own pressure to that of the pressure it is exposed to. As this occurs, it can leave you with pain in the aforementioned areas. Additionally, it is not uncommon for teeth to have air trapped in them. The air trapped in your teeth also tries to equalize with the air pressure it is exposed to, and this often results in pain directly in the teeth.

Pain can occur with existing problems and can indicate unknown problems

It's important to know that pain in your teeth while flying typically occurs more commonly with teeth that have issues. For example, if you have a cavity on a tooth, this tooth is more likely to feel pain and sensitivity than the other teeth in your mouth. If you already have a toothache for any reason, you should expect the pain from the toothache to worsen while flying. Teeth with existing oral issues will typically hurt more than teeth that are free of problems; however, you might discover that you have cavities while you are flying. If you do not think you have cavities but suddenly feel pain in one or two teeth, this could indicate that there are cavities present.

Good oral care can prevent these problems

The best way to prevent this type of pain while flying is to take care of your teeth. You should always treat oral issues as soon as you find out you have them, and you should never ignore pain you feel in your mouth.

If you do not like the pain you feel in your teeth when flying, you should make sure you visit your dentist, such as Brandywine Dental Care. Regular visits will allow a dentist to address any problems that you have. 

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