Intense pain while flying...

Doop

Hi have had a problem for the last 2 months or so, have gotten about 4 short flights (1 hour or so) and every time, usually after take off i get an intense pain in one of my molars for a couple of seconds, then goes, then it hits again and so on, maybe 3 or four times, but that means im sitting there in constant anticipation of being hit with the pain.

Last went to the dentist about 3 months ago and she did a couple of fillings, one of which she said, this is a big one, theres only really the shell of the tooth left, you'll probably need route canal on it in the future. I've been away from home for over a year and am due to fly back tomorrow, (2 flights, one of which is 12hrs) and im kinda panicked, debated going to the dentist here, but wouldnt have enought time to get route canal done.

I was going to load up on pain killers before take off, ibprofin (spell?) to try and pre-empt the pain. (can probably buy it over the counter here)

Anyone ever experience something like this? i dont have any pain as long as im not flying, could it be due to the air pressure?

Planning on getting to the dentist when i get home, but think it might be a painful during home!

Ta for any advice

btkm8unsl0w5r4

If there is air trapped under a filling you can supposidly get pain on pressure changes, I have never seen it myself and dont know if it is really a problem. Could be a nerve problem too. Best see your dentist about it.

Big_G

I've seen this once while scuba diving and have heard about it during flights. Always thought it was an urban myth. Definitely get it checked by a dentist.

Kila

Get the filling checked, as if there is air trapped beneath the filling, it could cause pain.

Also worth considering - are you sure the pain isn't related to your ears? The Eustachian tubes run from your ears down into your nasal cavity. Often pain due to blocked sinuses or other related problems can cause pain in the ears when flying. This pain can, due to the location of the tubes, sometimes resonate down the face, sometimes feeling like jaw or tooth pain. (This is from personal experience of flying with ear problems, and experiencing said pain, btw.)

Get the filling checked anyway, but if that isn't the cause, I would consider checking ears.

dwtsot

Hi ya,

My first post.

I had this problem. I had a tooth ache a few days before I flew to Japan on business once. I got some pain killers to take with me just in case, not for what I perceived would be pain during the flight but for general discomfort whilst over in Japan. On my flight to Heathrow the pain was unbelievable! Darting shots of pain. To make it worse I had it in the back of my mind that I would have the same thing for 13 hours to Japan. I took three of the pain killers in Heathrow and thankfully I didn't have any further issues.
When I had the filling done the Dentist commented that there was trapped air in the tooth as it smells pretty rank once released.
I'll never forget the pain though. Unbelievable. Recommend you get it looked at. No way you'd do 14 hours of that!!! You'd go nuts.

Doop

yea, had tought of the trapped air seceniro alright, also while scuba diving had a dull ache in the same tooth ... nothing to worry about... but this pain while flying is agony intense, short agony... have bought some hefty pain killers for the journey... hopefully they'll do the job... not mad about the idea of taking em but gotta do something. if "the pain" was constent it would be unbareable, im startin to think it might be a badly filled filling, dont know if thats possible to trap air tho, considering i got 2 flights in about a month after the work and had no problem.

Also i get so manic about the dentist... but then who doesnt hate the dentist (sorry to all the dentist's out there) I'll get it sorted when i get home.
Ta for the opinions!

One more thing.... its defo not an ear thing i do alot of diving and have no problem, and this is a real intense pain, clearly coming from my mouth, never have a problem equalizing my ears

dungeon

You learn something new every day. This website never ceases to amaze me.

Kila

Well, if you don't have a problem equalising your ears (I do, flying is horrendous!), and you're getting an ache in the tooth while diving, that does sound a lot like the problem could be air trapped, or a bad filling.

Definitely best to have a dentist check it out as soon as you can, and get it sorted (even if you hate going!)

res ipsa

Barodontalgia is a well recognised and documented phenomenon, and anecdotally quite a few patients have reported it to me.Although we might not see so much of it in ireland, now there arent so many "high flyers" around:D, (sorry couldn't resist)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barodontalgia

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8764677

Doop

Well thought id hit ya all back with an update... for anyone whos intrested...
my dentist (whom i trust alot) says there is no obivious reason for the pain while flying. The tooth in question, has a very deep filling in it (one i got done in australia) He said i could get root canal but as it stands it doesnt need it (800e).

I did get 'the pain' while returning home, loaded up on pain killers and i think they did the job after take off. He said there was no way to know if i would get it again or not, as i have no problem while on the ground, and the xrays look fine.

Not looking forward to my next flight...


Thanks for all the thoughts, and the links. Also apparenlty its not really a possibility for air to be left in the tooth..

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Doop wrote: »

Also apparenlty its not really a possibility for air to be left in the tooth..

Oh its possible, I have seen it (and smelt it) when taking out old fillings. X-rays dont show everything, they are a 2d representation of a 3d object. Glad you got it sorted though.

Doop

Sorry for resurecting an old thread,

but would still like some opnions on this... as the stuupid problem is still not fixed.

I got a root canal when I was back at home... and off I went to flight back to Aus, and BAM theres that pain again... not fun... 3 flights later back on the ground. So I've been back here for 8 odd months, went to the dentist the other day, asked her about the problem, I am now 99% sure which tooth is the issue (a molar infront of the one I got the RTC on), its always a bit sensitive to hot/cold/sweet etc. She said there is a bit of a shadow on it (???) took x-rays came back and said I need a bit of work (filling) on the tooth in front (pre-molar?) of the one I think is the problem. She said the one I think is the problem, is fine (from the xrays) and she reckons it could be pain transfering around. Which I know can happen but im often 'aware' of this tooth ( feel a slight pulse in it sometimes, not painful just aware of it).

So she was pretty insistant she wouldnt do a RTC on what appers to be a healthy tooth.

She did however say that my sinisus were very 'low' on the left side and it could be pain relating to that... ???

I've been flying all my life not sure how this would suddly be a problem in the last yr or so.

So... 2 questions really..
Anyone every get sinuse probs that transfere to tooth pain ??
Is it possible there is something wrong with this molar that isnt showing on the x-ray?

In fairness this dentist did go off and get a 2nd opinion etc but came back with the same info.

This is just such a nightmare (bit dramatic!) but I just dont want to fly anywhere etc, hols weekends away etc, I just dont go if it involves a plane!
Work wanted me to fly over to perth for a meeting and I just had to make up excuses why I coulnt go (other wise im sure they'd think im crazy!!). Have a wedding to go to in 3 months time that invloves a long haul flight, and im debating not going.

Oh and back to the trapped air thing, she said due to the type of filling in this tooth there wouldnt be air (cant remember what type). (as did my Irish dentist)

So ill be going back to the dentist next week to get these 2 fillings done, so ill have a chance to ask again about anything.

So for the long post... just soooo fed up of this stupid obscure problem!!

Big_G

Res, oh Res, wherefor art thou Res Ipsa to answer these endodontically related questions?

I suggest a visit to the endodontist, a person who specialises in the nerves of teeth. Definitely sounds like barodontalgia, and no an x-ray is not a definitive diagnostic tool. You may have a crack in this tooth also, but I cannot diagnose anything over the internet.

day dreamer

I would agree with the Big G, get an opinion from an endodontist who specialises in this type of thing. I think your dentist is being conservative and doing the right thing - if they cannot see anything wrong then there is no point if doing unecessary work

There are many causes of pain in your teeth eg cracked tooth or sinus and not all of them are easily diagnosed or treated

Let us know how it goes

res ipsa

you need to have the suspect fillings replaced with obtundent temporary fillings in the first instance.
By the way, emirates are recruiting for a general dentist here in dubai, if any of you guys want to see this phenomenon.

ordinary_girl

Claire Flabby Zap wrote: »

If there is air trapped under a filling you can supposidly get pain on pressure changes, I have never seen it myself and dont know if it is really a problem. Could be a nerve problem too. Best see your dentist about it.

It really does happen, and is quite an issue. Whenever I fly one of my left back teeth causes me unbearable pain (it's more filling than tooth by this stage!), it freezes and then the inside of the tooth pings off the metal filling. The agony is unbelieveable, now I just take painkillers everytime I fly.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Rest_Energy wrote: »

It really does happen, and is quite an issue. Whenever I fly one of my left back teeth causes me unbearable pain (it's more filling than tooth by this stage!), it freezes and then the inside of the tooth pings off the metal filling. The agony is unbelieveable, now I just take painkillers everytime I fly.

Would it not be better to get the tooth seen by a dentist to rather than take painkillers?

ordinary_girl

Claire Flabby Zap wrote: »

Would it not be better to get the tooth seen by a dentist to rather than take painkillers?

I try to stave off going to the dentist for as long as is humanly possible.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Rest_Energy wrote: »

I try to stave off going to the dentist for as long as is humanly possible.

Pain cant be that bad then :rolleyes:

ordinary_girl

Claire Flabby Zap wrote: »

Pain cant be that bad then :rolleyes:

You're right, it's not, because I take pain killers for it now when I go on flights before the plane takes off.

VLB

Hi,
I don't know if you've managed to get this problem sorted yet?

I'm currently suffering from the same problem and it's making me dread flying. I don't think the word 'nightmare' is an exaggeration, I've never felt so much pain and in a situation where I can't do anything about it...

Like you, my immediate response was to go to the dentist, who told me my tooth is fine and that he used to be a pilot and had the same problem and that it is my sinuses that are the problem, since the nerves of our teeth go right up into our sinuses....although I personally didn't think my sinuses were that bad. I've tried taking sinus decongestants and painkillers before flying but the pain just wont go away. I sit through the flight dreading the next strike of pain.

I'm going to the doctors tomorrow hopefully and with any luck I might be on the way to solving the problem...

katiekelly123

Has anybody found any solution to this problem yet?

I haven't flown in over 10 years and have missed out on every single holiday opportunity because of the intense pain I get while flying. I am absolutely terrified of the pain - the shooting pain and being 'trapped' in the plane (this is what it feels like)

I have gone to a few dentists over the years and they say it's related to my sinus but I know it's not. As I 'treated' everything for sinus and I still had the same pain on a flight.

Has anybody ever got this problem sorted? Please please let me know if you have

Thanks