Why does my tooth hurt on a plane?
Tooth pain when flying, called barodontalgia, happens when changes in air pressure act on a tooth that already has a problem: decay, a faulty filling or crown, an inflamed or dying nerve, infection at the root tip, recent dental work or blocked sinuses. Healthy teeth do not react to pressure. At Creative Arts in Dubai, a dentist finds the cause with an examination and X-rays, ideally well before your next flight or dive.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Julia General Dentist · Dr. Marina Antoniuk Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
What causes tooth pain when flying?
Cabin pressure drops as a plane climbs and rises again as it descends; under water, pressure increases quickly with depth. Gas trapped in a closed space expands when pressure falls and contracts when it rises. Your ears and sinuses feel this first, but a tooth can too if something inside or around it is not healthy.
A review of barodontalgia by Zadik (2010) found that the most common causes of in-flight dental pain were faulty fillings and decay that had not yet reached the nerve, followed by a dead nerve or inflammation at the root tip, an inflamed living nerve, recent dental treatment and barosinusitis, which is pressure pain from the sinuses felt in the upper back teeth.
In practice that means three main sources:
- The nerve. A nerve already irritated by deep decay or a deep filling close to the nerve reacts to the pressure change and suddenly hurts.
- Gaps and leaks. Small spaces under an old filling or crown, or in decay, can hold air or fluid that is affected by pressure.
- The sinuses. The roots of the upper back teeth sit under the maxillary sinus. A cold or congested sinus that cannot equalise pressure can make several upper teeth ache at once; our page on sinus toothache explains how to tell the two apart.
The important point is that the flight or dive does not cause the problem. It reveals it, often weeks before the tooth would have started hurting on the ground.
What does the type of pain suggest?
Patterns that dentists use as a starting point. Only an examination and X-rays confirm the cause.
| What you notice | When it tends to happen | Likely source | What it usually needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp, short pain in one tooth | During the climb or the ascent from a dive | An irritated but living nerve, often under deep decay or a large filling | Examination, X-ray, treatment of the decay or filling |
| Dull, throbbing ache in one tooth | Often during descent, sometimes lasting after landing | A dying or dead nerve, or infection at the root tip | Tests of the nerve and an X-ray; often root canal treatment |
| Ache in several upper back teeth | During descent, with a blocked nose or cold | Barosinusitis: pressure from congested sinuses | Sinus treatment; dental check if it continues on the ground |
| Pain in a recently treated tooth | Days to weeks after a filling, crown or root canal treatment | Tooth still settling after treatment | Review by the dentist who treated it |
| Filling or crown feels loose or chips | After a flight or dive | Dental barotrauma on a weakened restoration | Repair or replacement before the next trip |
| Jaw ache and tired muscles | After a dive | Clenching on the regulator mouthpiece | Rest; a dental check if it persists |
Pain that spreads to the ear or head can make the source hard to place; see toothache spreading to the ear or head.
Can a filling or crown cause pressure pain?
Yes, though not because fillings or crowns are a problem in themselves. A well-sealed filling behaves like the tooth around it. Pressure pain is more likely when:
- an old filling has a gap at its edge, letting decay start underneath;
- a new deep filling sits close to the nerve and the tooth is still settling, as described in our guide to sensitivity after a filling;
- a crown has loosened or decay has started at its margin;
- a root canal treatment is unfinished, with a temporary filling still in place.
Less often, rapid pressure changes can crack a weakened filling or loosen a crown, a problem called dental barotrauma. It is more often discussed in divers than in passengers. If a tooth has a large old filling and you fly or dive often, ask your dentist to check it at your next visit rather than waiting for symptoms.
Is it safe to fly with a toothache?
Flying with a toothache is not usually dangerous, but the pain may get worse in the air and you will be far from help. Get the tooth checked before you travel if you can. Do not fly, and seek medical care first, if you have facial swelling with fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or swelling spreading towards the eye or neck: these need a hospital emergency department straight away. Creative Arts is open daily 10:00–20:00; it is not a 24-hour service.
How can I ease tooth pain on a plane?
Once you are in the air, the aim is to get through the flight comfortably and have the tooth checked soon after landing:
- Take over-the-counter pain relief as directed on the label, ideally before the flight if you already know the tooth is sensitive. If you take other medicines, are pregnant or have a medical condition, ask a pharmacist which option suits you.
- Avoid very cold or very hot drinks on the affected side, and sugary snacks if the tooth is sensitive to sweet things.
- Equalise your ears and sinuses by swallowing, yawning or chewing during descent. If you have a cold, ask a pharmacist before the trip whether a decongestant is suitable for you.
- Do not place aspirin or other tablets on the gum. They can burn the soft tissue.
- Note what happened: which tooth, whether pain came on the climb or the descent, and how long it lasted. This helps the dentist narrow down the cause.
If the pain eases after landing, it still needs attention: the problem that caused it is usually still there. Our guide to toothache relief at home covers what helps until your appointment.
A tooth that hurt on your last flight or dive? Have it examined and X-rayed at Creative Arts in Jumeirah, Dubai, before your next trip.
General dentistryBefore you travel: a dental checklist
A practical timeline for frequent flyers, cabin crew and divers. Your dentist will adjust it to your own treatment.
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Several weeks before a long trip or dive holiday | Book a check-up and mention the trip | Time to find and treat decay, leaks or a failing filling without rushing |
| If treatment is needed | Ask whether it can be completed before you leave | An unfinished root canal or temporary filling is more likely to cause trouble in the air |
| After a filling, crown or root canal treatment | Ask your dentist how long to wait before flying or diving | Teeth may need time to settle; the advice depends on the treatment |
| After an extraction or oral surgery | Follow the specific advice for surgery | Clots and wounds need protection; see flying after dental surgery |
| With a cold or blocked sinuses | Consider whether to fly or dive at all | Congested sinuses cannot equalise pressure and can cause upper tooth pain |
If you develop dental pain while visiting the UAE, our guide for tourists with a dental emergency explains what to do.
Advice for cabin crew, pilots and divers
People who fly or dive for work or sport meet pressure changes far more often than holiday passengers, so small dental problems show up sooner. A few habits help:
- Tell your dentist about your work or diving, so the examination looks specifically at deep fillings, old crowns and teeth with a history of sensitivity.
- Keep regular check-ups and X-rays at the interval your dentist recommends, so decay under fillings is found early.
- Plan treatment around your roster or dive schedule. Ask how long to wait after each procedure; the answer differs for a small filling, a root canal treatment or an extraction.
- Report pressure pain early. A tooth that hurts at altitude or depth but feels fine on the ground still needs checking.
- Divers: watch for jaw strain. Gripping a regulator mouthpiece for long periods can tire the jaw muscles and joint. If one side of the jaw aches after dives, see jaw pain on one side.
Any occupational fitness requirements are set by your employer or diving organisation; follow their rules alongside your dentist's advice.
How a dentist finds the cause
Because the pain usually disappears on the ground, the examination relies on your description and on tests. The dentist asks which tooth hurt and when, then checks each filling and crown, tests how the nerve responds to cold, taps gently to look for tenderness, and takes X-rays to look for decay under fillings and infection at the root tips. If several upper teeth ached together during descent and they all test healthy, the sinuses are the likely source and you may be advised to see a doctor.
Treatment then matches the cause: replacing a leaking filling, root canal treatment for a nerve that is dying or infected, re-cementing or replacing a loose crown, or simply review if a recently treated tooth is still settling. At Creative Arts the findings and options are explained in a written plan, so you know what needs doing before your next trip.
Dentists who check pressure-related tooth pain at Creative Arts
Dr. Duaa Ameen (general dentistry), Dr. Julia (general and microscopic dentistry) and Dr. Marina Antoniuk (restorative dentistry and root canal treatment) examine teeth that hurt in flight or under water and treat the cause.
