Is It Safe to Fly Soon After a Tooth Extraction?

In a perfect world, nothing would mess with your travel plans, and getting to your destination would be comfortable and stress free. Unfortunately, that’s often not the case. Even when you have full health going in, travel can be nerve-wracking and interfere with your body’s usual rhythm.

If you need to undergo a tooth extraction, you may wonder whether it’s a good idea for you to take off in a plane so soon afterward. Is it even safe? Can you make flying after a tooth extraction a little more pleasant? Find out in this article!

Flying After Tooth Extraction: Is It Safe?

When your plane ascends and descends, the cabin changes in pressure, which can cause miold headaches, sinus pressure, and even toothaches in some passengers. As a result, you may worry about safety following a dental procedure like extraction. However, this change in atmospheric pressure shouldn’t harm your dental work, though it may be even more uncomfortable than usual.

In other words, if you can avoid flying soon after having a tooth extracted, it’s best to wait until you’ve had time to heal and recover. However, if you must travel, your mouth should still be safe in the plane.

How to Keep Discomfort to a Minimum

Ideally, you would have plenty of time to recover from the procedure before having to depart, but let’s say that something pops up and leads to a tight schedule, forcing you to fly within 48 hours of getting a tooth extraction. You can reduce potential pain through some simple preparations:

• Take over-the-counter pain relievers with you and take them as directed.
• Have extra clean gauze handy.
• Come with a refillable water bottle and drink plenty of room temperature water, not sugary, acidic, hot, or cold beverages like coffee, soda, or juice.
• Bring a fillable ice pack and ask the flight attendant for ice. Then, apply the cold compress to your face for 20-minute increments.
• Have a travel pillow and lightweight blanket with you so that you can relax and get comfortable in your seat.
• Pack relaxing and fun entertainment, whether it’s calming music, a good book, or your favorite movie.
• Find and purchase soft foods you can eat like yogurt before you board the flight.
• Ask your dentist for any additional tips!

In the end, travel doesn’t always go according to plan, and if you find yourself in a position where you must fly after getting a tooth extracted, you don’t have to worry about your safety. Try to focus on relaxing and recovering as you go to your destination.

About the Practice

In West Seneca, Applegate Dental always has patients’ best interests at heart. Our three experienced, highly trained dentists and the rest of our team strive to make tooth extractions as easy and comfortable as possible. In addition to local anesthesia, we also offer sedation options to keep the patient relaxed and pain free in the office. To learn more about tooth extractions and aftercare, you may contact Applegate Dental online or call us at 716-712-5301.