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Why Does My Tooth Hurt When I Fly? Understanding Airplane Toothache

why does my tooth hurt when I fly, understanding airplane toothache

Have you ever boarded a flight feeling perfectly fine, only to develop a sharp toothache during take-off or landing? Tooth pain triggered by changes in air pressure is called barodontalgia, sometimes known as an airplane toothache or ‘tooth squeeze’.

It can happen even when your tooth has not been hurting on the ground. Although the pain may disappear after landing, it can be a warning sign of a dental problem that needs checking.

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This guide explains why flying can make your teeth hurt, what to do if pain starts during a flight, and when to arrange dental care before your next journey.

What Is Airplane Toothache aka Barodontalgia?

Barodontalgia is tooth pain associated with changes in surrounding air pressure. It has been documented in people who fly and people who scuba dive. It is usually considered a symptom of an underlying dental problem, rather than a disease in its own right.

Research in aviation dentistry links it to tooth decay, defective fillings, inflammation inside a tooth, problems around a tooth root, recent dental treatment and sometimes sinus disease.

It does not mean that every person with a filling will experience pain when flying. Most flights do not cause toothache in otherwise healthy teeth.

Why Does Flying Make a Tooth Hurt?

Commercial aircraft cabins are pressurised, but the pressure still changes as the aircraft climbs and descends. During take-off and ascent, cabin pressure falls. During descent and landing, it rises again. These changes can affect gas trapped in or around damaged dental structures and can aggravate inflammation in sensitive tissues.

If a tooth has decay, a leaking filling, a crack or an existing infection, pressure changes may make that problem painful. A healthy tooth is generally less likely to react in this way.

The exact mechanism is not always straightforward, and you cannot diagnose the cause from the timing of the pain alone. A dentist may need to examine the tooth and take an X-ray.

Common Reasons Your Teeth Hurt on a Plane

1. Tooth Decay or a Cavity

A cavity can expose sensitive tissues and create areas where pressure changes cause discomfort. You may have no obvious symptoms before flying, particularly if the decay is not yet causing constant pain.

2. A Loose, Damaged or Leaking Filling

Old or damaged fillings can leave small gaps around a tooth. Pressure changes may aggravate an already sensitive tooth, causing sudden pain during ascent or descent.

3. A Cracked Tooth

A cracked tooth may hurt when biting, with temperature changes or when pressure changes during a flight. Some cracks are difficult to see without a dental examination.

4. Inflammation or Infection Inside the Tooth

Inflammation of the dental pulp, sometimes called pulpitis, can make a tooth especially sensitive. Problems around the root, including an abscess, can also cause severe pain that becomes noticeable during flying.

An abscess requires urgent dental assessment and will not resolve simply because the flight has ended.

5. Recent Dental Treatment

A tooth may remain sensitive after a filling, root canal treatment or other procedure. Flying soon afterwards can sometimes aggravate discomfort, depending on the treatment and whether healing is complete.

There is no single safe waiting period that applies to every dental procedure. Ask your treating dentist whether you should fly and when, especially after an extraction, implant surgery, root canal treatment or sinus-related dental surgery.

6. Sinus Pressure That Feels Like Toothache

Sometimes the problem is not actually in the tooth. The roots of the upper back teeth sit close to the maxillary sinuses. Pressure changes associated with a blocked or inflamed sinus can produce pain that feels like an upper toothache.

This may be more likely when you have a cold, nasal congestion or sinus symptoms, but a dentist or healthcare professional should assess persistent or severe pain rather than assuming it is sinus-related.

7. Trapped Air or Gas Inside a Tooth

Another possible cause of airplane toothache is air or gas trapped within a tooth, particularly around a damaged filling, an imperfectly sealed restoration or an area affected by dental disease.

As an aircraft climbs and cabin pressure decreases, trapped gas can expand. If it is confined within a small space, this pressure change may contribute to sudden or intense tooth pain.

Why Does My Tooth Hurt During Take-Off?

As the aircraft climbs, cabin pressure decreases. Changes in pressure can affect a tooth with an existing defect or inflamed tissues. Some travellers experience sharp pain shortly after take-off, which may ease once the aircraft reaches a steady cruising altitude.

Even if the pain stops, tell your dentist exactly when it happened. This information may help them investigate the cause.

Why Does My Tooth Hurt When the Plane Is Landing?

Cabin pressure increases again during descent. This can trigger airplane toothache, and pressure changes in the sinuses can also cause pain that feels as though it is coming from the upper teeth.

Some people experience discomfort only during landing, while others notice it during both ascent and descent. The pattern is useful information for your dentist, but it does not prove which dental condition is responsible and you should still consult a dentist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Can Flying Cause a Filling or Crown Toothache?

Yes flying can cause airplane toothache in a tooth with a filling or a crown, particularly if there is an underlying problem with the tooth or restoration. However, having a filling or crown does not automatically make flying painful. A filling or crown that is placed properly and is not damaged or infected should not be painful.

If a particular filled or crowned tooth repeatedly hurts in the air, book a dental examination. The dentist can check for recurrent decay, cracks, problems with the restoration or inflammation around the tooth.

What Should You Do if Your Tooth Hurts During a Flight?

There is no reliable way to fix the underlying cause while you are on an aircraft. However, you may be able to manage the discomfort until you can obtain dental advice.

  • Tell the cabin crew if the pain is severe or you feel unwell. They may be able to help you access appropriate support.
  • Consider suitable pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, following the package instructions and only if the medicine is safe for you. Ask a pharmacist or clinician if unsure.
  • Avoid chewing on the painful side and avoid very hot, cold or sweet food and drinks if these worsen the pain.
  • Stay hydrated and keep your mouth comfortable.
  • Do not put aspirin directly on your tooth or gums. This can damage the tissues.
  • Make a note of the symptoms: which tooth hurt, whether it was during take-off or landing, how long it lasted, and whether you had a cold or recent dental work.

If the pain settles after landing, arrange a dental check rather than assuming the problem has gone away. My personal experience is that the pain will return on every flight until the underlying cause is treated.

How to Prevent Tooth Pain Before Flying

The most useful prevention for airplane toothache is to deal with dental problems before travelling.

  • Book a dental appointment if you have an untreated cavity, broken filling, persistent sensitivity or a tooth that hurt on a previous flight.
  • Complete recommended treatment rather than waiting until after a long holiday, where practical.
  • Ask about flying after recent treatment. Your dentist can advise based on the procedure and your healing.
  • Discuss significant sinus symptoms with an appropriate healthcare professional, particularly if you have previously had pressure-related facial pain.
  • Pack appropriate pain relief in your hand luggage, following airline, security and destination medicine rules.
  • Keep your dentist’s details and travel insurance information accessible in case you need treatment abroad.

Chewing gum, swallowing and yawning can help some people equalise ear pressure, but they are not a treatment for barodontalgia caused by dental disease.

Can You Fly After a Filling, Root Canal or Tooth Extraction?

It depends on the treatment, your symptoms and whether there were complications. Research has proposed minimum intervals after some procedures, but these are not universal rules and the evidence is limited, particularly for ordinary commercial passengers.

After a filling, the key question may be whether the tooth is comfortable and the restoration is sound. After a root canal, extraction or oral surgery, healing and the risk of complications matter more. Procedures involving the sinus area may require a longer recovery period.

Always follow your own dentist’s instructions rather than relying on a generic number of days. If you have swelling, increasing pain, bleeding or signs of infection, seek assessment before flying.

What if Your Child Complains of Toothache on a Plane?

Children can also experience dental or sinus-related pain during a flight. A child may struggle to explain whether the discomfort is coming from a tooth, ear, jaw or sinus.

Ask simple questions where possible: does it hurt when biting, is it one tooth or several, and did the pain start as the plane climbed or descended?

Offer reassurance and age-appropriate pain relief only according to the medicine’s instructions or professional advice. Do not give aspirin to children under 16 unless specifically prescribed by a doctor.

If a child has persistent pain, swelling, fever or difficulty eating, arrange dental assessment promptly.

Advice for Autistic Travellers

Unexpected tooth pain when flying can be particularly distressing when a person is already managing the noise, movement and unfamiliar routines of a flight.

If communicating pain is difficult, a simple body diagram, communication card or phone note may help someone indicate where it hurts. Caregivers can watch for changes such as holding the jaw, refusing food or becoming unusually distressed, without assuming these behaviours prove a dental cause.

Before a flight, it may help to discuss what will happen if someone develops pain and keep any familiar sensory or communication supports in hand luggage.

For wider preparation, see our guide to travelling with autism.

When Should You See a Dentist?

Book a dental appointment if tooth pain happens during flying, even if it stops once you land. This is especially important if it happens repeatedly, affects the same tooth or follows recent dental work.

Seek urgent dental advice if you have severe or persistent pain, a broken filling, increasing swelling, a suspected abscess, a fever with dental symptoms or difficulty opening your mouth.

Seek emergency medical help immediately if you have severe swelling affecting your mouth, throat or neck together with difficulty breathing, or other signs of a serious spreading infection.

In the UK, NHS guidance on urgent and emergency dental care explains when to contact a dentist, NHS 111 or emergency services. If you are abroad, use local emergency and dental services.

Why Does My Tooth Hurt When I Fly? FAQs

Is it Normal for Teeth to Hurt on a Plane?

Tooth pain during a flight is a recognised problem, but it is not something to ignore. It may indicate an underlying dental condition or pressure-related sinus problem.

What Is an Airplane Toothache Called?

The medical term is barodontalgia. It is sometimes called aerodontalgia or tooth squeeze.

Why Does Only One Tooth Hurt When I Fly?

A single painful tooth may have decay, a crack, a damaged filling or another local problem. A dentist needs to assess it to identify the cause.

Can Cabin Pressure Damage Healthy Teeth?

Healthy teeth generally tolerate normal commercial flight pressure changes. Pressure-related tooth pain is more often associated with an existing problem, although rare dental barotrauma can occur.

Will the Toothache Stop After Landing?

It may, but not always. Pain that disappears can still indicate a problem requiring dental assessment.

Can Sinus Problems Cause Toothache During a Flight?

Yes. Pressure changes in inflamed or blocked sinuses can cause pain that feels like it is coming from the upper teeth.

Can I Fly With a Tooth Abscess?

A suspected abscess needs urgent dental assessment. Do not rely on painkillers or assume flying is safe without professional advice, particularly if you have swelling or fever.

Should I See a Dentist if My Tooth Only Hurts During Flights?

Yes. Repeated flight-related tooth pain can be a sign of an underlying dental issue even when the tooth feels normal on the ground.

Medical Sources and Further Reading

This article provides general travel and dental health information. It cannot diagnose the cause of tooth pain or replace advice from a qualified dentist or medical professional.

The main thing to remember is that cabin pressure changes may reveal a dental problem you did not realise was there. If flying makes your tooth hurt, getting it checked before your next trip is the best way to reduce the chance of another painful flight with airplane toothache.

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