Is flying after tooth extraction safe?

A tooth extraction would be necessary when you have a severely infected or damaged tooth, which can’t be restored using dental restorations. The dentist would suggest a tooth extraction to keep you from experiencing a whole lot of pain, discomfort, and inconvenience. Although the extraction itself is a quick procedure that can be completed in a few minutes, the post-surgical process would require a couple of weeks to ensure optimum healing.

Post-surgical healing period

Each patient may react differently to tooth extraction. Some may experience more pain and discomfort, whereas some may be up and running a couple of days with minimum pain. The dentist will suggest you keep a few activities away, as they can injure the site of extraction or cause more pain. One such activity could be flying, as it could make your flight rougher.

How does flight affect your body?

Taking a high altitude flight results in a significant change in atmospheric pressure levels. Our sinuses can take a beating due to this, which can be experienced as pain in the ears, nose, and teeth as well. People who take flights a few days after getting a tooth extracted may experience elevated levels of pain near the extraction site due to this, and in extremely rare cases, it can lead to bleeding as well. However, some individuals who have a high tolerance to pain hardly experience any difference.

So, would it be advisable for you to fly after getting a tooth extracted? It entirely depends on each individual’s tolerance to pain and the recommendation of your dentist. To keep any complications away, it is best to avoid flying for at least a couple of weeks after the extraction.